:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/37747002/454379738.0.jpg)
Just when you think you've got something good possibly happening, it goes away. Almost like a kid in a candy store getting yanked on the ear by your parents right as you're about to get into the checkout line.
Shaqiri removed himself from the transfer market. With few hours remaining in the summer window, the Swiss attacker clarified his future speaking to Sky Sport Germany: "I wanted to leave Bayern Munich to have a chance to play more. But the club wanted me to stay so I will continue to do my best here."
(Source: Gianluca Di Marzio)
So, this is what has basically happened.
- Bayern reportedly deemed Shaqiri surplus goods, and essentially put him on the market weeks ago — which was good news for a lot of clubs because he's a wanted man this summer.
- Bayern reportedly were open to a loan move in the past week or so, thus sounding off the alarms in Beppe Marotta's office because he's a man who loves signing players on loan at every opportunity.
- Now, after Shaqiri plays wingback (!!!!) from the start against Schalke on Saturday, he is no longer available despite the fact he has freely admitted that he wanted to leave so that he could get more playing time.
This is confusing. Like, really, really confusing. If you can figure this out, go right ahead.
It's not like Bayern didn't know there was a market for Shaqiri all summer. Then again, they've shown they can pretty much do whatever the hell they want lately — see signing Xabi Alonso and subsequently playing him at centerback two days later — and it's not like they are going to change.
Even with Shaqiri making it perfectly clear he wanted to move to a club where he was essentially guaranteed more playing time, Bayern isn't going to let that happen. Maybe with Kingsley Coman's badass debut on Saturday losing out on a potential Shaqiri signing isn't as much of a big deal as it might have been a week or two ago.
Still, Shaqiri would have helped this squad. i don't — or won't — deny that.
