Jurgen Klopp confirms calf injury for Xherdan Shaqiri

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Xherdan Shaqiri is likely to be out for the next few weeks through a calf problem. The Switzerland international sustained the damage during the Nations League third-place play-off against England last month and it appears that he has not completely recovered from the setback.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Klopp acknowledged that Shaqiri is still in the treatment room as a result of the calf tear and he could be out for a while, he said: “Shaq is still injured from the national team and it will take a while until he is in again. He has a tear in his calf, so he will not be involved for a while.”

The Reds are scheduled to face local rivals Tranmere Rovers during the opening pre-season friendly and the game may witness a number of reserve players getting the chance. Aside from Shaqiri, Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are some of the high-profile players, who should miss the forthcoming tour of the United States due to national team commitments.

Firmino and Salah have entered into a three-week vacation period after completing their duties but Mane continues to remain with Senegal, who have progressed to the quarter-final stage of the African Cup of Nations. Meanwhile, the Reds have remained quiet during the summer transfer window with the purchase of teenage defender Sepp van den Berg being the only meaningful piece of business.

However, that could change during the forthcoming weeks with owner John W Henry clarifying that the Reds have plenty of fund to spend. Of late, the Reds have been touted to make an approach for Real Madrid’s Marco Asensio and the true reflection of the story is yet to be known. Liverpool begin their Premier League campaign with a home game against newly-promoted Norwich City.