In a recent tweet, renowned journalist Nicolo Schira provided an update on Liverpool‘s pursuit of Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara as he claimed that the Reds are preparing a €15m offer for him after agreeing on a four-year contract with the player.
Next week talks between #Liverpool and #BayernMunich for #ThiagoAlcantara will officially start. #Reds don’t want to pay €30-35M asking price by Bayern, because Thiago’s contract expires next June. They are preparing a bid of €15M. #LFC agreed personal terms for 4-year contract https://t.co/zElj1ATs8K
— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) August 21, 2020
Thiago’s Eye-Catching Season At The Allianz Arena
Thiago had another incredible season with the Bavarian giants as he steered his team to the final of the UEFA Champions League where they will now clash heads with Paris Saint-Germain for a shot at European glory tonight.
The Spaniard has been in fine form for Hans-Dieter Flick’s side after registering three goals and two assists in 39 fixtures for them across various competitions. He has not been as productive in the final third as he was in previous seasons since Bayern have often used him as a holding midfielder.
Thiago has used his experience well to control games from the middle of the park and has an average of 2.3 tackles, 2.0 interceptions, 0.5 clearances, 0.7 shots, 1.0 key passes and 2.5 dribbles per match in the Bundesliga and the Champions League to show for his efforts. The 29-year-old has made 90.7% of his attempted passes in both those competitions as well which sheds light on how well he can distribute the ball (stats via whoscored).
What Are The Italy-Born Midfielder’s Best Attributes?
Thiago has slowly adapted to a holding midfield role over the past couple of seasons because he has got the determination to win the ball back for his team. He is one of the best passers in Europe and possesses the ability to cut open the opposition defence with a perfectly-weighted pass in the attacking third. Plus, the 37-capped Spanish international boasts excellent ball-control that enables him to complete a few promising dribbles in the opponent’s half.
Do The Reds Need To Get Thiago On Board This Summer?
However, at 29, one can’t help but wonder for how long can Thiago continue to have such an impact in midfield. Maybe father time is catching up with him, so Liverpool might get a player who is on the decline. Even then, it makes a lot of sense for the Premier League champions to launch a move for the Bayern star this summer as he has got a tremendous passing range and shows incredible control in the way he conducts himself in the middle of the park.
Thiago will arguably be an upgrade over any of Jurgen Klopp’s current midfield options at Anfield due to his creativity and proven track record of success at the highest level. He is more than capable of securing a regular starting berth alongside Fabinho and Jordan Henderson. However, that could spell the end for Georginio Wijnaldum who is being linked with a switch to Barcelona in this off-season.
Furthermore, Thiago will have no trouble adjusting to Klopp’s system of high-intensity football as he is a technically-gifted athlete. With all things considered, the Merseyside giants need to bring someone of Thiago’s experience and quality to the north-west of England if they intend to dominate both domestic and European football in the years to come.
