Liverpool were enjoying a pretty strong summer transfer window after welcoming Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai to Anfield. The Reds had made it their priority to strengthen their midfield, and after forking out a combined £95 million on the newcomers, they were looking in pretty good shape.
That was, until both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho left the club for moves to Saudi Arabia. Their departures, plus the expiration of James Milner’s contract, now leaves Liverpool without a single senior No.6 on the roster. As it stands, 18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic is the only natural defensive midfielder in the team and matters could be about to get worse as well.
The Saudi Pro League have come knocking on Jurgen Klopp’s door once again. According to L’Equipe, Al-Ahli — the same club that signed Roberto Firmino following his summer release — have tabled a €12 million (£10m) offer to bring Thiago over as well.
Rumours regarding the Spaniard’s future have been swirling since the transfer window opened. Some outlets claimed Liverpool might be tempted to sacrifice Thiago in order to raise funds for their spending spree, others reported the club were happy for him to run down his contract and leave as a free agent next year.
Amid all the summer chaos, it looked as though Thiago would be staying at Anfield and would no doubt be a key player this season in terms of experience alone.
The Saudi rumours are also not new — it’s been known that Thiago has appeared on the radar of the Pro League, but now there is an official bid that needs to be addressed. If Liverpool opt for the sale, it will mean Klopp has just four midfielders on his roster, which is a very worrying thought. Curtis Jones will also become the most senior member of the engine room following this hefty exodus.
Of course, the Reds remain in hot pursuit of new targets but nothing has come to fruition just yet. Roméo Lavia continues to be the number one target but Chelsea have recently burst onto the scene looking to hijack the deal. Liverpool have made a similar approach though by registering their interest in long-standing Blues target Moises Caicedo.