The Swiss national team has welcomed defender Adrian Bajrami’s decision to leave Albania, stating that they had been in continuous contact with the player.

Adrian Bajrami chose to abandon the Albanian national side, even withdrawing from the squad for the upcoming September fixtures, with his future now tied to Switzerland. It didn’t take long for the Swiss to back him, as both sporting director Pierluigi Tami and head coach Murat Yakin commented on the matter for the media outlet 20 Minuten.

“He is an interesting player, whose development we are closely monitoring,” said the 50-year-old coach from Basel. The statement from the national team director also carried a subtle jab at the Albanian Football Federation, as he emphasized that they had maintained ongoing communication with Bajrami, even while he was still part of Albania’s team.

“We have been in contact with Adrian and are pleased with his decision to play for Switzerland,” declared Pierluigi Tami. He further confirmed that over 70 percent of Switzerland’s players hold dual citizenship, though not all are able to feature for the senior team.

Bajrami is not included in Switzerland’s list for the World Cup qualifying matches, but in the event of injuries, his call-up is not excluded.