One potential hurdle facing Liverpool’s decision-makers in the current transfer window could soon be solved if the club were to offload Thiago Alcantara to one of several potential suitors lining up to sign the Spaniard.
Neil Jones of Covering Liverpool (and EOTK Insider Columnist) has now reported that Turkish outfit Fenerbahçe are among the interested parties – though a bid has yet to be submitted.
The Merseysiders have one non-homegrown spot remaining in the squad following the £60.4m purchase of Dominik Szoboszlai, which could leave the club in a tricky position were they forced to narrow their search down to homegrown talents for the centre-back position.
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That may not be an entirely uncomfortable position, of course, in light of the fact that we’re not thought to be keen on pursuing a first-choice option to compete with Virgil van Dijk or Ibrahima Konate.
As far as we’re concerned here at Empire of the Kop, we’d also be reluctant to sanction the sale of arguably the most technically gifted midfielder we currently have available in the squad.
It’s a consideration we couldn’t begrudge Liverpool for taking given the player’s contract expires in a year’s time, especially given our history of letting go of talented midfielders for free of late rather than selling on for profit.
If it becomes clearer that we’re absolutely sold on the prospect of bringing in two non-homegrown stars to fill key vacancies in the squad – say Khephren Thuram and Sporting CP’s Goncalo Inacio – however, we may be left with no other choice.
one year left on his contract and usually injured time to say adios amigo.
Technically gifted means nothing on the treatment table, which is where he spends most of his days.
1. We get 10 million in annual wages back
2. We have another homegrown spot open
3. We can replace him with a player who is actually available for games
I see only upsides.
LOVE this article! Finally someone addresses the logistics of homegrown players in a transfer window. Lavia is almost too costly at £50 mil, but him not counting now towards our squad number AND being homegrown by the time his next contract with us would be up is tremendous. Let Thiago go. Was beautiful to watch, but too much time injured.
If we’re considering getting Ignacio (or Colwill from Chelsea if some rumours are to be believed), then Matip should be sold too, his injury record isn’t great either. I hate to say this but we need to cut the emotional strings with Thiago. We let 4 players go on a free this season (absolutely criminal!) when last season Ox and Naby should have been moved on , again because of their poor injury records. The season just gone, they were hardly available and that looks like poor business. LFC need to be in the business of winning football games. Sir Alex Ferguson was ruthless in this aspect and didn’t hang on too long to players when they didn’t serve the cause. We need to learn the same lessons. Unfortunately FSG don’t have deep pockets like our competition so we need to sell to buy in some cases. Selling Thiago and Matip is the sensible thing to do as you also free up their wages for younger players who will not demand as much money. (The 4 players that left this season earned a lot of money). Also, what we clearly needed last season is legs in the midfield, happily we are addressing this at the moment and should continue on that path. We have a strong defence and a blistering attack. The midfield is where games are won and we are on the way to winning that area again. YNWA.
Sell him, never fit and doesn’t play enough games for his high wages.
Sell if we must. Would love to keep him.
It’s a no brainer because Thiago is always injured as his body can’t handle competitive football that younger players can. In some ways he’s similar to what Keita was even though in his earlier days was really outstanding at Bayern Munich, but unfortunately we’ve never really seen this side of him at Liverpool and is probably why BM were glad to get some money for him.
Liverpool needs to sell these players when there is a year or so left in their contracts and not just to let it run down and they leave for free which is the norm at Liverpool for probably 80% of their players.
Players to go Gomez, Matip, Thiago,
Sign Pavard. Gallagher, Thuram, Gvardiol,
I think it’s right Thiago is injury prone, need to sell as to have fresh legs like Lavia, or thuram
Sell him. Get competition for VVD. VVD past it.
Totally agree Thiago and Matip are continually injured and as consequence are a hinderance to the team by playing a couple of games then injured which upsets the balance and rhythm of team. Moved them one and free up funds for players who are not prone to injury. We appear to buy players who have in their past porr injury records . This needs to stop. Bought Ramsey who has been injuted all his time here