Thiago Alcantara is due to depart Liverpool at the end of the season, with his contract expiring after four years, and his timely return from injury could lead to a fitting swansong.
By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com
Buried in the frustration of a 3-1 loss at Arsenal which could have serious ramifications on the Premier League title race was a feel-good story for Liverpool: the return of Thiago Alcantara.
Coming off the bench for the final five minutes at the Emirates, Thiago marked the end of a nine-month spell out after undergoing surgery on his hip at the end of April. It was the first time he had made the matchday squad since a 2-1 win over West Ham at the back end of last season, and exactly a year on from his last start for the club, in a 3-0 loss to Wolves in the FA Cup in February 2022.
Thiago’s contract will run out at the end of the current campaign, and as Jürgen Klopp and his staff prepare to depart, so too will the Spaniard. Bar any late intervention – maybe the appointment of a countryman and kindred spirit in Xabi Alonso – the plan appears to be to allow the 32-year-old to leave on a free transfer.
It will come four years after his £25 million from Bayern Munich, and with only 98 appearances for the club to date, would end a spell on Merseyside which showcased his world-leading talent as well as his physical fragility. In an interview with Owen Hargreaves for SuperSport in 2022, Thiago had predicted that, owing to his style of play, “in 10 years’ time, my hip will be destroyed, 100 percent.”
The reality came much sooner, with the veteran requiring corrective surgery just months later.
For any normal human in their early 30s, undergoing hip surgery would almost certainly rule out any further dynamic sport, and that could have been seen as applying tenfold for a player contracted to a club at the very elite level of football. Thiago’s absence, and the time ticking down on his terms at Anfield, led to understandable concerns over whether he had already played his last game for Liverpool.
But in replacing Joe Gomez for those final minutes in north London, Thiago has now given hope of playing an influential role as the Reds fight for four major trophies between now and the end of May.
Even if it had been hoped that he make considerably more than 98 appearances in just over three-and-a-half seasons so far, Thiago has already proved his worth to Liverpool, translating his quality from LaLiga and the Bundesliga to the Premier League, and cementing his status as one of the finest technical players to ever represent the club.
His ability to dictate the tempo of a game from his role on the left-hand side of Klopp’s midfield trio has been unparalleled. His ability to find players with impossible passes, turn out of danger with a deft swivel of his hips and deceive opponents with dummies and no-look balls makes him almost unique within the squad, while his combative style off the ball may have surprised many – particularly his knack for winning headers against taller opponents.
Thiago’s influence cannot be measured by his three goals and six assists, though the calibre of his strikes – two against Southampton, one against Porto – are fitting for a player of his esteem. The long-range effort against Porto, which almost defied gravity as it swerved low into the bottom corner, will be considered one of the best to have found the back of the net throughout Klopp’s reign.
Instead, his stamp on the side has been as a facilitator; his experience has allowed him to step in, take control, and help those around him to express themselves.
Arguably, his is a role that no longer aligns with the demands on the two No. 8s in Klopp’s midfield, but if fit and on form, there is no way the manager can leave Thiago out of his plans for the final months of the season – perhaps even as a No. 6.
That remains a big if, sadly, with a number of false dawns already in his long recovery, but all being well, Thiago has the platform to end his time with Liverpool in a special way.
As Klopp has found throughout the campaign already, there are few constants within his squad in terms of fitness – and not least in his midfield. Thiago and Stefan Bajčetić went into the season as long-term absentees, while Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch have all missed spells. Wataru Endo has just returned from a stint at the Asian Cup with Japan. Harvey Elliott is the only midfielder – and one of only two players, along with Darwin Núñez – to make the matchday squad for all 36 games so far.
“We had a lot of injuries during the season, but we always could deal with it because we were lucky with the boys who were still available or came back from injury,” Klopp mused recently.
Thiago’s long-awaited return coincides with a new setback for Szoboszlai, which could present an opportunity for the Spaniard to build up his minutes and find a foothold again after a miserable time out. There are still few, if any, players with his CV in Klopp’s squad, and that could prove invaluable as Liverpool fight for the Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup.
More than anything, denying Thiago game time in these final months of Klopp’s and his stay would be depriving supporters of one of the most enjoyable players to watch that Anfield has ever seen.
(Images from IMAGO)
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