Former Liverpool forward Xherdan Shaqiri has admitted it was his desire to leave France just six months after he made the move to Lyon.
The Swiss international was unveiled by Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire on Monday and conducted a press conference alongside sporting director George Heitz and head coach Ezra Hendrickson.
Despite a positive start to life in Ligue 1, with two goals in 11 appearances, he endured a difficult run that eventually led to his departure earlier this month.
The 30-year-old moved from Liverpool last summer in search of more regular game time, of which he may find with a move to the United States.
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"The league [MLS] is getting better and better," he told a press conference on Monday. "For me, it's a good league.
"I wanted to go away from France and the opportunity came. George [Heitz], like I said before, we were always in touch and in contact with my brother, who is my agent.
"I was thinking a lot, of course, but George came with a big project and I was really excited."
Shaqiri has taken one of the designated player slots in the Chicago Fire squad, therefore his wages won't count towards the salary cap in the MLS.
The former Reds No.23 suggested Heitz played a significant role in selling the project to him prior to the move, and the pair know each other well as he was previously sporting director at Basel, where Shaqiri spent much of his youth and early senior career before his big move to Bayern Munich in 2012.
Shaqiri made the move to Liverpool in 2018 from a relegated Stoke side and went on to make over 60 appearances for the Reds during his three years with the club.
