Liverpool broke a golden transfer rule when securing the services of Thiago Alcantara in 2020, where the then manager Jurgen Klopp was frustrated, given the circumstances of the star on Anfield
Jurgen Klopp broke a golden transfer rule by signing Thiago Alcantara for Liverpool. The Spanish midfielder enjoyed an illustrious career at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, loaded with trophy, before he arrived at Anfield at the age of 29 in a relocation of £ 25 million.
However, Liverpool took a huge gamble when signing the experienced veteran, since he entered the twilight years of his career and therefore had very little resale value. It also went against Liverpool's traditional recruitment drive to bring only fresh faces under the age of 25, according to an insider.
In 2022, a source told the Liverpool Echo of the movement of Thiago: “If a player is younger, there is a chance [to improve] But if a player is older, there are fewer opportunities.
'The older players we have seen [who have been bought] His top players such as Thiago, he was the best European midfielder at Bayern and we signed him for a considerable fee. But usually we do not sign players older than 24 or 25. “
While Thiago showed flashes of Beauty during his time at Anfield Flitsen, scored three goals and granted six assists in 98 outings, many football fans will think if the juice was worth it. That is, considering that he spent large parts of his term of office with the Reds offside due to injury, including missing all the game from the Premier League campaign of 2023/24 due to persistent hip and muscular problems.
Injury is something that the then manager Klopp ensured that he was worried because of his worship and respect of the star and later said in 2024: “I know that injuries were a frustration for him and also for us. But the level he could play when he was available was incredible.
“This is what I will remember. Now he will go in a new direction with his family and we can only wish them the best. Wherever he plays, I would like to see. An artist of the game that will only paint the most beautiful photos.”
Despite offers from Saudi Aarabia when the time of his Liverpool contract was demolished, Thiago finally decided to leave the beautiful game at the age of 33, content with his remarkable list of performance for club and country.
Klopp also separated roads with the Reds at the end of the 2023/24 season and called time on his nine-year term of office in Anfield, with a Premier League title and a Champions League trophy under the seven pieces of silverware that he won in total.
He was quickly replaced by Arne Slot, who was able to develop a Premier League-title-winning campaign, despite the recruitment of only Federico Chiesa during the window of last summer, and largely held up to the talented team inherited from Klopp.
Slot, however, would like to be made more of itself this summer. After renewing deals with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, but failing to keep Trent Alexander-Arnold who left for Real Madrid, Wasted Slot No time to protect Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen by activating the £ 29.5 m release clause of the star.
Shortly thereafter, he hit Liverpool's transfer costs in the club record by signing attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz van Leverkusen in a £ 116 million deal before adding Milos Kerkez to Anfield's ranks in a £ 40 million step of Bournemouth. With Frimpong that arrives at the age of 24, Wirtz 22 and Kerkez is only 21, it is clear that Slot has returned to securing proven players who still have their best years for them.
If one of his new acquisitions does not find Liverpool in Liverpool in the coming years in the coming years, they are expected to have their resale value of their young age.
Slot will hope to reach the land in the preseason, with Liverpool now on their pre-season tour through Hong Kong and Japan, opposite AC Milan today (Saturday, 12.30 pm UK time) and then Yokohama FM before she returns to Anfield to be confronted with Athletic Club prior to the new campaign.
The Reds are confronted with Crystal Palace in the Community Shield in 10 August, before they focus on Bournemouth for their first game of the Premier League season five days later.