Newcastle United named shock favourites to land Liverpool's 82-cap international ace this summer

During 'silly season', the bookies are, on occasion, a step ahead of the game, and Bet Victor have now intriguingly made Newcastle United the 3/1 favourites to sign Liverpool winger Xherdan Shaqiri this summer.

There appear to be no specific, direct competitors to the Magpies, with "any side" from the Bundesliga (4/1), Serie A (6/1), Ligue 1 (8/1) and La Liga (10/1) offered as alternatives, with Tottenham Hotspur a distant 12/1 to sign the Switzerland international.

Given the wealth of talent available to Reds manager Jurgen Klopp, the 28-year-old has struggled for first-team football at Anfield since joining in a £13 million deal from Stoke City back in 2018, making just 13 Premier League starts in two seasons.

Certainly, signing a player who has struggled with injury problems and played little regular competitive football of late would be a gamble for Newcastle, but when at his best, the 28-year-old nippy winger is still a force to be reckoned with - boasting dazzling dribbling skills, and capable of producing a mean set-piece.

The ongoing takeover speculation surrounding the Magpies has seen the club linked with a host of glamorous talents over the past few months, and Shaqiri could prove a more realistic option. Although his wages, believed to be in the region of £80,000 per-week, could prove to be an issue.