Xherdan Shaqiri not with Fire for DC United match

Xherdan Shaqiri is not with the Chicago Fire ahead of their match against DC United, and he will not play tonight as he joins the Swiss national team's camp in St. Gallen ahead of the European Championships.

The decision was made on Friday following discussions last week between the Fire, the Swiss Federation and Shaqiri. Although camp officially begins on Monday, May 27, the Fire captain travels early to begin tournament preparations.

Shaqiri, now 32, is midway through the final campaign of his three-year, $8 million per season designated player contract. He is yet to score in the match this season after doing so just three times in 2023, but inconsistency at club level has not stopped Swiss national team coach Murat Yakin from to name it provisionally. Nati team for the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament. Shaqiri did not travel with his Fire teammates to Washington as they prepare for an Eastern Conference battle Saturday night with DC.

During his midweek media availability, Fire head coach Frank Klopas hinted at the potential for some deals involving his No. 10 star in the upcoming summer transfer window.

“I think everything is up in the air,” Klopas said Wednesday of Shaqiri’s future. “[As] With every player entering the final year of their contract, I believe the European summer window offers the most and greatest opportunities. It also has to make sense for the team.

“I'm sure it's on his mind, as well as the minds of other players whose contracts expire this year, because the summer window is the one [where] there is more flexibility and teams are looking to make a lot of moves.

The Fire's Swiss sister club FC Lugano has been cited as a possible future destination for the star midfielder, as he has trained there in past offseasons. MLS rules state that a move to Lugano would require the use of a contract buyout, and although the Fire already used one to send struggling forward Kacper Przybyłko to the Bianonerithe announced addition of a second buyout before this summer would make a potential agreement possible.

For Shaqiri, a “player of the big game” who built his reputation on scoring big goals at major tournaments, next month's Euros represent the opportunity to play for his country on the biggest stage, perhaps for the last time. Warm-up friendlies on June 4 and 8 against Estonia and Austria will play an important role in Yakin finding his best team and determining the role Shaqiri will play this summer.

“What we need now is to clarify who is in what form,” the Swiss coach told the media during his final round of matches. “[Shaqiri] you must also know and understand your role and accept it.

“I'm Xherdan's biggest fan and I know exactly how brilliant he can be,” Yakin said. NZZ. “It’s good that Xherdan comes to our camp early and can get into the rhythm before the tournament.”

Although he has been the face of the Swiss national team for most of the last 12 years, Shaqiri is not expected to be the focal point he once was. Recently, he came off the bench during some matches, a sight most people in his country are not accustomed to at international level. His more limited role has been the subject of debate at home, as anything related to Shaqiri is generally scrutinized in Switzerland.

Now, with the highly anticipated Euros finally on the horizon, fans on both sides of the Atlantic will be wondering if they've seen the last of Shaqiri in a Chicago Fire jersey.