One Liverpool player would reportedly like to link up with a former manager of the club if he leaves Anfield this summer.
According to Spanish news outlet Sport, Thiago Alcantara ‘would like the options that have been handled by Real Sociedad, Celta or Sevilla to materialize’ as he considers the possibility of returning to LaLiga.
The second of that trio are now managed by Rafael Benitez, the man who guided the Reds to their fifth European Cup triumph in 2005.
The report added that the Liverpool midfielder ‘has turned a deaf ear’ to interest from Saudi Arabia and is keeping interest from Galatasaray ‘on standby’.
Of the three Spanish clubs who are reportedly piquing Thiago’s interest, Celta Vigo are the only one who won’t be in the Champions League in 2023/24.
That the ‘gifted’ Liverpool star (as Tony Cascarino once called him on talkSPORT) is seemingly giving equal credence to joining Los Celestes as he is to Real Sociedad or Sevilla hints at the pulling power Benitez still boasts, even if his most recent managerial spell at Everton was brief and forgettable.
The 32-year-old still has one year remaining on his contract at Anfield, but according to Sport, his injury record and the level of competition for places in Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI could see him move on this summer.
That may seem understandable in isolation, but against the backdrop of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson looking very likely to depart, the Reds can ill afford to lose another highly experienced midfielder in Thiago.
Liverpool may be waiting to see what happens with the Brazil and England internationals before firming their stance on the ex-Barcelona man, who could still have plenty to offer on Merseyside even if he doesn’t start regularly during the upcoming campaign.
His high-level experience could be a hugely valuable quality for other teammates to learn from, while squad rotation is likely to be a big factor in 2023/24 due to our Europa League participation, so we’d much rather have him at Anfield than not.
#Ep82 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Who do Liverpool replace Henderson & Fabinho with?