Stoke finally seal superb Xherdan Shaqiri signing from Inter Milan

Stoke City, 11/10 chances with Coral for a top 10 finish, have completed the capture of Switzerland winger Xherdan Shaqiri from Inter Milan for a club record fee of £12m.

The former Basel and Bayern Munich midfield magician has penned a five-year deal with the Potters, which will tie him to the Britannia Stadium until 2020.

Shaqiri’s signing is undoubtedly a coup for the Midlands men, who have persevered in attempting to add the ex-Inter attacker to their ranks all summer, and it finally marks the end of a long-running transfer saga.

BREAKING | City complete Club record £12m deal for Xherdan Shaqiri #WelcomeShaqiri #SCFC pic.twitter.com/YpTaFEHURU

— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) August 11, 2015

Stoke boss Mark Hughes said of Shaqiri: “He’s a dynamic and explosive player who will bring something different to the group and at the age of 23 he still has a great deal of potential. In the chats I’ve had with him it’s obvious that he’s excited about playing in the Premier League and showing what he’s capable of.”

If at first you don’t succeed goes the old saying, and Hughes and co can be congratulated for finally landing their man amid reported interest from other clubs such as Everton, while Potters support should be more than pleased at the prospect of this marquee wingman lining up next to Bojan Krkic.

Hughes had been clear about his intent to secure a star player this summer to push the Potters on following a series of steady midtable finishes. Shaqiri’s current pedigree and promise certainly fits the bill, and could be the catalyst for a successful season at Stoke.