Liverpool have communicated with Bundesliga powerhouse Bayern Munich to ask about the availability of winger Xherdan Shaqiri, according to reports.

The Reds are considering the Swiss international to be a contingency measure, should they fail to convince FC Basel to sell the latter's highly-rated midfielder, Mohamed Salah.

Shaqiri, who is also a product of Basel, signed with the Bavarians in 2012 but has found it hard to make a breakthrough in the first-team.

The acquisition of Mario Gotze and Thiago Alcantara last summer has placed him further below the pecking order.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is keen to bring the 22-year-old to Anfield on loan and give him the much needed opportunities that he craves for at the Allianz Arena.

In any case, the link will help the Reds' case in speeding up talks concerning Basel's Salah, but a Shaqiri deal would, not at all, be that bad.

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