BREAKING: Liverpool agree deal for Thiago
Liverpool has finally made a breakthrough in its bid to reinforce the middle of the park, as Daily Times gathered that the Kop has agreed an initial £20 million (€22m/$26m) deal with Bayern Munich for Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara.
Jurgen Klopp’s side has stepped efforts to land the midfield maestro, with the fee potentially rising to £27m (€30m/$35m) in add-ons.
The official contact made between the two clubs puts to bed months of speculation regarding Thiago’s future, with Liverpool now set to agree personal terms with the player, who is keen to move to the red half of Merseyside.
A four-year deal will be agreed, with Thiago set to wear the No.6 shirt vacated by Dejan Lovren at Anfield.
Thiago’s arrival will provide a huge boost to Klopp’s midfield options, particularly in the light of increasing rumours surrounding potential departures of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Georgino Wijnaldum.
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His arrival also echoes Liverpool’s presence at the marketplace, as the Kop’s only business this summer has been the £10.8m signing of left-back Kostas Tsimikas from Olympiacos.
In the wake of a spectacular treble-winning season, the Spain international had told the Bavarians he would wish to explore other possibilities. While Liverpool had constantly been in the picture, a move to Old Trafford or the Camp Nou had also been mooted.
Klopp had remained tight-lipped on the reports but dropped a slight hint recently when he refused to rule out the possibility of Thiago’s capture.
“If I could invent a word now that would end speculation, I could become really rich!” Klopp told reporters.
“I can’t end speculation as long as the transfer window is open, that’s all I can say. Did I mention that Thiago Alcantara is a really good player? Long ago!
“It’s nice that we are linked with him but that’s pretty much all, really. He is a good player, Liverpool are a big club, that’s nice, but apart from that, really nothing else to say on it. Unfortunately, maybe good for you [the media], I cannot end the speculation.”
The move for Thiago represents a change in policy for Reds owners Fenway Sports Group, who have generally targeted younger signings during their time on Merseyside. The likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Fabinho, Naby Keita and Alisson Becker all arrived for big fees, but in their early-to-mid 20s.
Thiago, at 29, represents a proven world-class talent whom Klopp believes will add a new dimension to his squad as they look to retain the league title, as well as compete for the UEFA Champions League.
