Transfer Centre

Xherdan Shaqiri dismisses talk of Borussia Dortmund switch

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 15 July 2016

Xherdan Shaqiri is "looking forward" to returning to training with Stoke City later this month and is not interested in a switch to the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund.

Stoke City midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri has insisted that he is unaware of any interest from Borussia Dortmund and is "looking forward" to the start of the new season.

Reports emerged earlier this week suggesting that the 24-year-old was seen as the ideal replacement for Henrikh Mkhitaryan at the Westfalenstadion.

Shaqiri, who joined Stoke from Inter Milan last summer in a club-record deal, claims that he is fully focused on helping the Potters next season and is looking to improve his own personal game.

"Well, nobody has told me [about interest from Dortmund] so for the moment this is cheese. I am now on holiday," he said in an interview with Blick. "A move to the Bundesliga is actually ruled out at the moment.

"On July 24 I start back at Stoke with training and I'm looking forward to the Premier League. I have goals to achieve for Stoke. We want to improve every season. Last season we finished ninth - we want to beat that. Personally I want to score more goals than last season."

Shaqiri impressed for Switzerland at Euro 2016 and bagged what was widely considered to be the tournament's best goal with his acrobatic scissor kick against Poland in the last 16.