According to various reports, Xherdan Shaqiri has a €14million (£12.75m) relegation clause, and the stats show exactly why Newcastle should take the plunge.

Every year there are several Premier League standard players that jump ship from relegated clubs.

Stoke City are the first team to suffer the drop this season, and two players that have been heavily linked with moves are Jack Butland and Xherdan Shaqiri.

Newcastle certainly don’t need a new goalkeeper thanks to the amazing signing of Martin Dubravka, so that just leaves Shaqiri.

The Swiss winger has some problems with consistency, but he has still managed eight goals and six assists this term in a Stoke side that rarely scores more than one in a match.

The dazzling wing wizard has also created 13 big chances, which shows his assist numbers could be doubled if he played in a more clinical side.

Whether or not Islam Slimani and Aleksandar Mitrovic stay or go at Newcastle is yet to be seen, but either way it is pretty clear that Rafael Benitez likes a target man.

With that in mind, Shaqiri’s 200 crosses this season could be right up Rafa’s alley, as he looks to add the goals to his well organised side.

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One area that the 68-cap Swiss international will need to improve if he wants to be a Magpie is his defending and work ethic, making just 24 tackles this season.

To put that in perspective, Newcastle’s current right midfielder Matt Ritchie has made 44 tackles this season, something Benitez expects from his front players as the bare minimum.

Shaqiri has a rare star quality that very few players have, and with a bit of fine-tuning and motivation from Benitez he could be everything Newcastle fans want from this summer transfer window.

Newcastle fans, would you back bargain summer swoop for Shaqiri? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…