Liverpool reject Shaqiri transfer as Roma make January loan bid (Mirror)

Liverpool have rejected a January offer for Xherdan Shaqiri.

Shaqiri, 28, has made just 10 appearances for the Premier League leaders in all competitions this term.

The Swiss international has played just 90 minutes on one occasion during an injury-hit campaign, where he has played only 256 minutes in total, scoring once.

The January arrival of Takumi Minamino from Salzburg has further pushed the ex-Stoke winger further down the pecking order.

Now, according to Sky Italia,Liverpool fielded a call from Roma on Monday to take Shaqiri to the Stadio Olimpico for the remainder of the season.

However, Jurgen Klopp rejected the approach from the Giallorossi out of hand, the German unwilling to allow Shaqiri or any of his senior attacking options to depart this month.

That's despite Shaqiri, a £13million arrival in 2018, from now effectively being sixth choice at Anfield.

Roma are scouring the market for a replacement for Nicolo Zaniolo, their young Italy international, after his season was ended over the weekend.

Zaniolo suffered a serious knee injury in the 2-1 defeat to Juventus in the Italian capital, tearing his ACL and suffering damage to his meniscus. He underwent surgery on Monday.

Zaniolo had emerged as a key player for Azzurri boss Roberto Mancini.

He is now set to miss Euro 2020, although his mother, Francesca, insists he isn't giving up on appearing at the continent-wide finals.

“In the instant he felt that crack, he knew something was very seriously wrong,” she said on Monday.

“He’s doing much better now, laughing and joking. He is himself again. Last night he was in a very, very bad way, though.

“The messages of encouragement have been a great help and he’s so happy, showing me his phone and going: ‘Mamma, look who wrote to me!’ He received messages from all his teammates, but also champions from all quarters.

“The most touching was from (Italy coach Roberto) Mancini, as it said: ‘I’m waiting for you.’ Plus he had messages from Paulo Fonseca, Luka Modric, Mario Balotelli, while Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci stayed close. Alessandro Florenzi came to the house to visit him last night.

“Nicolò is handling it well now, he told me this is something that can happen in this line of work. It’s from negative incidents that your character emerges and he has shown in the past that he’s got plenty of determination.

“He wants to be at Euro 2020, at all costs, but also knows it’s a long shot.”