Dean Jones says Liverpool superstar Thiago could leave the club

Midfield overhaul or not, Liverpool superstar Thiago Alcantara is one of the best midfielders who ever graced the grass at Anfield. Sans his injury struggles, even now, he still stands tall among the most technically gifted players at the club, and potentially the league as well.

The Reds, over the course of the summer transfer window, have made a number of midfield signings, all of whom have fit the bill at Liverpool perfectly. The likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch have all been brilliant for Jurgen Klopp’s men. Once Thiago returns from his long-term injury spell, the manager will surely have a selection dilemma in the middle of the park.

The contrast is great to see for the Liverpool faithful. Having struggled to field a strong midfield last season, and seeing themselves spoilt for options this term, the way Klopp and Co. have rejigged the squad is absolutely commendable.

Still recovering from a hip injury that saw Thiago out of the latter stages of last season, we all hope that he can return to action as soon as possible and be a part of the top-class action brewing in the middle of the park for the Reds. However, his contract is up at the end of this season (Transfermarkt), and due to his unavailability more often than not, Liverpool might look to move on from him. Journalist Dean Jones echoes this opinion and here is what he told GiveMeSport exclusively:

“I mean, Thiago might struggle. The one thing you could say is that, at least from a defensive midfield point of view, he might add an option that they’re going to need throughout the season. But when you’re thinking about his long-term future, I think there’s definitely reason to at least speculate on him being the next big-name player to leave Anfield. That area of the field has obviously undergone a huge overhaul and so far they’ve undergone pretty good success with it too.”

The Silky Spaniard

The 32-year-old Spaniard can fit into any of the roles in the middle of the park, and can excel as a deep-lying playmaker with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai in front of him. However, how much he might get to play with them surely depends on how much time he would take to make his way back to XI.

Since moving to the Reds in the summer of 2020, the former Barcelona man has made only 97 appearances for the club across all competitions. The fans have consistently backed him due to his world-class abilities on the pitch, but it probably makes sense for the Reds to look beyond him given his injury-prone nature.

With the Reds also looking to add a defensive midfielder in the January transfer window, hopefully, Andre Trindade of Fluminese, the competition for places will surely get much tougher.

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All in all, Liverpool face a crucial choice regarding whether to sell him for a transfer fee or prolong his contract. Given Thiago’s persistent fitness concerns and his substantial salary, the rationale for granting him a contract extension becomes more challenging to justify.