Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara has been the subject of reported interest from Saudi Arabia in recent week
Jurgen Klopp is planning on Thiago Alcantara being at Liverpool this season – and has told the experienced Spaniard he has an important role to play
in guiding a young squad.
Thiago has been the subject of interest from Saudi Arabia this summer with reports this week claiming Al-Ahli – one of the clubs in which Newcastle
United majority shareholders PIF have invested this summer – are set to lodge a £10.3million bid.
Liverpool, though, have not yet received any offers for the 32-year-old, who is in the last year of his contract with no discussion scheduled over an
extension.
Klopp has had talks with Thiago over his role in the forthcoming campaign, with the midfielder having returned to full training last weekend after
more than three months out following an operation to resolve a long-term hip complaint.
And of official interest in the player, Klopp said: “No, there is nothing. Honestly. Thiago is now training. Nobody asked.
“He came in and asked about his role and we spoke. Super experienced player, he stepped up in that department. He has only been in team training
for a week but very vocal, he is going to be very helpful for us.”
Despite having joined less than three years ago, no midfielder in the squad has made more first-team appearances for Liverpool than Thiago.
Liverpool saw a wealth of experience depart from the engine room in the summer, with skipper Jordan Henderson, vice-captain James Milner,
Fabinho, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all gone. Between them they played 1,318 games for the Reds.
From having one of the oldest midfields in the league, Liverpool now have one of the youngest. And asked if that would compromise hopes of
challenging Manchester City for the title this season, Klopp said: “We will see. Now you ask, I did that years ago (with Borussia Dortmund, with
whom he first won the Bundesliga in 2010/11)). I don’t care about age.
“We have already experience – in some parts not as much as other teams have maybe. Could we gain experience together? Yes. Could we gain it
quickly? Maybe. At Dortmund, there was never an excuse that the two centre-halves were 19 (Neven Subotic and Mats Hummels were that age when
signed). Yes. it was a completely different football time but 19 was 19.
“I don’t know but it is not too important. This kind of knowledge you will gain step by step through the season. What we have to do is win football
games, to feel good, to build a good atmosphere in the club, all these kind of things. We have a not good year behind us and now we want a good year.
It is about what is positive for us.
“Are we only happy if we challenge City immediately? Is that the only opportunity for us to be happy? Then we have a problem. But if we start loving
the football the boys play we can get to that.
“We have a new start. That is how it is. We don’t want to pick up the football we played before, we have to create something new and that is what we
are doing while we have to win football games. Where that leads to, I don’t know.”
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Friday turned into a hell of a day for Liverpool and Chelsea football clubs, and even as it draws to a close, there’s still no resolution to the Moises Caicedo drama.
It had been thought for some while that the midfielder would be signing for Chelsea, albeit the Blues hadn’t matched Brighton and Hove Albion’s
valuation of their player.
Out of the blue late on Thursday night, the Reds came forth with what would’ve been a British record deal of £110m, accepted by the Seagulls but,
importantly, turned down by the player.
Without Caicedo’s express agreement, very simply, it isn’t worth Liverpool negotiating with his representatives.
However, Chelsea apparently still haven’t provided a payment structure for the deal that Brighton are happy with, and that means that, as of this
moment, despite the player’s clear preference, and according to This is Anfield, Liverpool remain in the driving seat as the only team to not only have
met the valuation, but also to have an agreement in place on the payment structure.
It’s a tug-of-war that could, theoretically, continue for some while yet, and Brighton know that they hold all the aces.
From the player’s point of view he’s making a rod for his own back, and if he were able to put pen to paper on a deal with the Blues quickly, he might
even be able to play in their first game of the season… against Liverpool.
Maybe Michael Edwards should be brought back to the team, to come and assist with the rebuilt.
klopp and co shld be serious when planning their bussiness…they seem not knowing what they really want…the league has just started today…but to
my surprise they are not ready…they shld know that no quality player is cheap these days..gone are the days for negotiations