Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has given an update on the Thiago Alcantara transfer situation, stating that he expects an offer to be made in the coming days.
Liverpool are one of the several sides linked with the Spanish international and with just one year left on his current deal with the German champions, he is available for the sum of €30m.
This is a ridiculously low figure considering his abilities and Rummenigge has stated that Bayern have not received any contact from the Premier League champions.
Replying a question about Alcantara’s future, he said: ”It looks like he will leave us. It was important for him that he showed that he can play well in the big games. When it comes to that, it’s a finish that hurts a bit. I expect an offer for him in the next few days.”
The 27-year-old has been with the Bavarians since he was signed by Pep Guardiola from Barcelona in July 2013 and he has gone on to make a name for himself as one of the premier midfielders in the world, with his precise passing and ability to control the tempo of games playing a key role in the unprecedented success enjoyed by Bayern Munich.
Although he does not get as much reviews as his abilities deserve, Thiago Alcantara is unarguably one of the finest midfielders of his generation and he showcased his talents on the big stage as Bayern Munich won a treble in 2020.
He has scored 31 goals and provided 37 assists from 235 matches in all competitions for Bayern Munich and gave an immaculate performance in what might be his last match for the club against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.
While his talent and abilities are not in doubt, a major black mark on Thiago Alcantara is his fitness record, with the former Barcelona man having suffered no less than 25 injuries in the last seven years at Bayern, missing over 90 matches, with consecutive knee ligament injuries ruling him out for almost a year at a stretch in 2014.
Thiago Alcantara could provide much needed creativity to Liverpool’s one-dimensional midfield
Liverpool ended their three-decade wait for Premier League glory in spectacular fashion last season and while Jurgen Klopp deserves credit for molding a team of regular players into world-beaters, it would be foolhardy to suggest that they are a complete side.
The current Liverpool midfield is a combination of too many identical players and while it can be argued that they have become better since the departure of Philippe Coutinho, the glaring lack of creativity through the middle is glaring for all to see.
The likes of Fabinho, Gini Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, and Naby Keita are all combative midfielders who run their socks off for their team but there are times when diversity is needed to break down opposition defenses.
For most of the last two years, Liverpool’s chief creative outlets have come from the attacking brilliance of their full-backs, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson but sometimes, this is not enough.
The lack of creativity from the middle becomes evident against compact teams who have no problems dealing with crosses (as was the case against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last season), or when one of the two full-backs (especially Arnold) is unavailable (as Arsenal showed in the Community Shield) or Burnley did in Liverpool’s only draw at Anfield last season.
Although he might not publicly admit it, Jurgen Klopp needs to find a creative outlet through the middle and Thiago Alcantara fits the bill.
The fact that he is available for a relatively low price makes the transfer a no-brainer for the Merseyside outfit.
Liverpool recently lost the Community Shield for the second year running, falling to a 5-4 defeat on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Arsenal. They would turn their attention to the defense of their Premier League title which begins with the visit of newly-promoted Leeds United on September 12.
