Should Shaqiri sign on with Mark Hughes at Stoke City this summer?

Hughes may soon prove that persistence pays off, though, having tried to lure Shaqiri to the Britannia Stadium in January, before he opted to sign a four-year deal with the Nerazzurri in a move worth a reported £16m.

However, the former Bayern Munich prospect was handed only eight Italian league starts during the second half of the campaign, striking on just one occasion, underwhelming form which has shifted Inter’s belief in him as they prepare to cash in on his services.

With guaranteed regular action with the Potters and the chance to prove his credentials on the globally loved Premier League stage, Shaqiri could see this as an opportunity to revive his career swiftly before Euro 2016 kicks off next summer (50/1 to win).

The Swiss are likely to finish second to England in qualifying Group E, thanks in no small part to Stoke’s potential new acquisition, as he guides his nation to the finals in France with his four goals in the opening clashes.

Flashes of brilliance were evident at last summer’s World Cup in Brazil as well, with Shaqiri having also struck 11 times in 26 starts for Bundesliga champions Bayern previously, after his 2012 switch from Basel. Although he failed to fully establish himself in the Allianz Arena first-team, despite his impressive trophy collection which features two Bundesliga titles and a Champions League crown.

If the stuttering Serie A star was to arrive and enjoy a rejuvenated campaign in the top-flight, the league’s big boys would undoubtedly come calling after a proven season in England, something which Shaqiri may have in his thinking when possibly putting pen to paper on a Potters deal this summer.