02 August 2023 , 05:26
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Liverpool's Thiago has been urged to join Manchester City or Arsenal because he thrives in teams that dominate possession.
The Spaniard has been at Anfield since 2020 and has delivered in patches. When he's on song he's earned huge plaudits, but he's suffered from injuries and some have claimed the former Barcelona man doesn't suit the intense style that Jurgen Klopp has employed.
Thiago has survived the midfield summer exodus on Merseyside with the likes of Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jordan Henderson all leaving. Dietmar Hamann, though, believes he should look elsewhere, citing concerns about his game-time if Liverpool land a major signing.
He told Lord Ping : "I’ve never been a big fan of Thiago Alcantara. He’s having far too many injuries and he couldn’t get in the Liverpool team last season when he was fit and when there was a lot less competition in his position. If someone else comes in like Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia or Aurelien Tchouameni then the competition will be very tough.
"Liverpool have Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Stefan Bajcetic coming back too, who will all need minutes. I don’t see Thiago featuring too much next season, even if he is fit. I’m sure there are clubs interested in Thiago, if he stays in the Premier League, he needs to join one of the top four teams who have a lot of possession, like Man City or Arsenal.
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"The more possession you have, the better Thiago plays. He’s not the best player out of possession, there might be a market in Spain too. He’s been a decent player, not a ‘great’ player for Liverpool as some people have said. The physicality of the Premier League has gotten to him."
Thiago only has 12 months left on his contract and its been reported that the Reds will allow him to run down his deal and leave next summer. They also remain open to bids whilst they continue to refresh their midfield options with several new faces already arriving.
Hamann has been more than happy to air his views about his previous club and Thiago, which haven't always gone down well. He declared in a Sky Sport Germany column following the Reds' 2022 Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid : "In my opinion, the Reds need to modernize the team a bit, especially in midfield.
"I don't understand the hype about Thiago. For me he is one of the most overrated players in European football. When things are going well and you have a lot of possession he's a good player, but when push comes to shove you don't see him. If you need someone who sets accents, then he doesn't do it.
The Athletic previously reported that Klopp was fuming with the views of his compatriot, whom he has addressed in press conferences. Klopp said when quizzed on Hamann's comments: "Oh great, he's a fantastic source! Well respected everywhere!"
He also added on his Liverpool connections: "That doesn't give you the right to say what you want, especially when you have no idea."