Shaqiri ignores Effenberg remarks

Those comments have drawn a withering response from Peter Coates, the Stoke chairman, and Hughes, who have both argued that Shaqiri’s arrival is proof of their progress.

And he appeared to be addressing his long-term pursuit of Ukrainian worldwide Yarmolenko when he added: “I think we’ve had a good window up to this point and probably won’t go back into the market unless something exceptional presents itself”.

Shaqiri says he can’t wait to get started, insisting his move to The Potteries was “perfect” for him. “Earning €1m more or less should be irrelevant – when you can make €6m at Stoke or €3m at Schalke, you pick the latter”, he said.

“I’ll just concentrate on my job”.

He has no job at the moment so he can talk.

Hughes believes the Swiss winger can “sprinkle stardust” on the Premier League.

“The manager also wants to play good football and always wants to win which is very important to me”.

Former Bayern midfielder Stefan Effenberg said the transfer was a “sad state of affairs”.

Following his much talked about move to the Premier League, which he describes as the best league in the world, Shaqiri spoke of his delight at linking up with Mark Hughes as he strives to make his first appearance for the Potters in Saturday’s trip to Tottenham.

Effenberg feels Shaqiri has been badly advised and indicated that the former Inter man gave more consideration to the pay cheque, rather than the opportunity of playing for one of the big clubs in Germany.

“I do not understand Shaqiri’s move to Stoke at all”, said Effenberg earlier this week.

“But I am a player who can integrate very fast and I think English football is flawless for me – it is very attacking, from box-to-box”.

Chief Executive Tony Scholes added: “It’s no secret that we have been pursuing Xherdan for some time now and we are delighted to have finally secured his signature. He has been at two big European clubs but hasn’t had the benefit of playing week in, week out for a number of years and maybe that is the attraction”.

“He’s a top player and we now have a host of top-quality players in our squad to change games and create something out of nothing”.

“But Stoke? Come on, I can not understand the player, his agent, his parents or his brother”.

He said: “It wanted to sign for a club with a progressive attitude and with quality already inside the building, and Stoke City has that right here”. Sometimes circumstances have to fall for you and you need that little bit of luck.