Even with the Premier League transfer window closed since 1st September, Liverpool could still lose one of their players to a European club this week.
According to Turkish outlet Star, Trabzonspor are hoping to land the signature of Thiago Alcantara before the Super Lig’s deadline this Friday and have ‘made an official offer’ for the 32-year-old.
The report states that the Spain international ‘wants to go to a team where he can play directly’, with an influx of midfielders at Anfield over the summer potentially blocking his route to regular starts under Jurgen Klopp.
Even after the English deadline, Liverpool may have been sweating over the prospect of Mo Salah leaving the club amid unrelenting interest from the Saudi Pro League until their window shut last Thursday.
The disparity in transfer windows means that the Reds aren’t completely out of the woods yet when it comes to clubs from elsewhere trying to raid Klopp’s squad, so the hierarchy could still face a nervous wait over the next 72 hours or so regarding Thiago.
The ‘gifted’ midfielder – as previously hailed by Tony Cascarino on talkSPORT – has unfortunately seen his three years on Merseyside blighted by a series of injuries, and he hasn’t played since April due to a hip problem (Transfermarkt).
That unenviable track record – allied with the summer arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch – could see the 32-year-old as more of a sporadic starter than a guaranteed presence on the team sheet over the coming months.
Considering his age and that his contract expires next June, we wouldn’t be totally stunned if Liverpool were to accept an offer from Trabzonspor this week, provided that it’s to the Anfield hierarchy’s satisfaction.
However, it mustn’t be forgotten that Thiago is a sublime footballer to call upon; and in a busy campaign for the Reds, the ability to bring him in and give others a well-earned breather could be pivotal to Klopp’s side meeting their objectives for the season.
#Ep89 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones🎙️
Thought he was going to Barca and nobody else but Barca as the oily league is shut its just a story to fill the page
Just sell him, injury after injury. We have younger midfield now. 🙂