Liverpool star Xherdan Shaqiri has moved a step closer to an exit after he was left out of Jurgen Klopp's Carabao Cup squad to face Arsenal.
Shaqiri impressed in the previous round against Lincoln City and was again expected to feature against the Gunners in the last-16.
But he was not even featured amongst the substitutes in a much-changed Reds side with Harry Wilson given a chance to impress.
According to the Liverpool Echo, Shaqiri's absence comes with talks over a transfer exit advancing with the club unwilling to risk him picking up an injury which would scupper a potential move.
It has been reported that two clubs have expressed an interest in the £20million-rated playmaker.
And Jurgen Klopp hinted a move is on the cards when asked about it by Sky Sports after the game.
"It's the time of the year where something has happened in the background," Klopp said.
"We have to react sometimes and that's what we did."
One of the two clubs to have made contact are believed to be from Italy as the Swiss star is handed a potential escape after limited opportunities and injury issues in the past two seasons.
Shaqiri played just 185 minutes last season, and is yet to step onto a Premier League pitch this term.
Ottmar Hitzfeld, his international manager at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, has also encouraged him to find a new club.
“Xherdan should move to a club where he will be playing regularly,” Hitzfeld told Swiss publication Blick, via Inside Futbol.
“A Premier League club with a solid midfield would be a good step, or at a Bundesliga club such as Gladbach, Leverkusen or Wolfsburg.”
Shaqiri is one of several players Liverpool are open to selling before the October 5 transfer deadline.
After landing Thiago Alcantara, Diogo Jota and Kostas Tsimikas, they are looking to cut some of their first-team squad with Shaqiri looking the most likely to depart imminently.
