JAN AGE FJORTOFT: Telepathic Thiago Alcantara can take Liverpool to the next level following his stunning £25m switch from Bayern Munich
- Thiago Alcantara can help Liverpool push on further after his move to the club
- The Spanish midfielder is capable of dictating play with his excellent passes
- Thiago has a great attitude and Liverpool’s attackers will love playing with him
It is always important for clubs to improve when they are at the top. Freshen up the squad, keep the star players on their toes.
When I was growing up, it was something Liverpool were always good at. They have done it again with the signing of Thiago.
He was the best player in the Champions League final and Liverpool have managed to get him for £27million at a time when Chelsea have spent nearly £150m on Kai Havertz and Timo Werner, and Manchester United may have to pay more than £100m for Jadon Sancho. That is great business by Jurgen Klopp.
Thiago Alcantara is capable of taking Liverpool to the next level after his move from Bayern
I remember when Pep Guardiola came to Bayern Munich there was a headline in a German magazine and it read: ‘Thiago oder nichts’. Thiago or nothing. He was still at Barcelona, a talented player but not a star. Yet here was Pep saying that this was the man I want to conduct my play. He knew what we now all see.
Liverpool’s front three will love this signing. When you look at Thiago’s stats, he is not like Kevin De Bruyne or Thomas Muller who will record 20 assists a season. He is usually the one to play the assist to the assist to the assist. He always wants the ball. He can open up the whole game, change the entire situation with just one pass. His speed of thought creates the space his team need.
Not only is he a conductor, but he’s a chess player too. He is always two moves ahead and they are ones that change the game.
Liverpool’s front three will love playing with Thiago, who is capable of playing superb passes
Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Gini Wijnaldum are all fine midfielders but none can do what Thiago does. You give him the ball — he knows whether the best play in the situation is to calm the game down or speed it up.
Sometimes you find playmakers who do what they want for themselves. With Thiago, you find yourself asking: ‘How did he know his team-mate wanted him to do that?’ He’s got different attributes but he still fits the culture of a Liverpool midfielder.
They’ve always had that kind of player, who wants to be at the centre of everything, going back to the Jan Molby days.
Thiago, who has been praised for his attitude, is capable of setting the tempo with his passes
He’s a good lad, with a great attitude. Bayern were desperate to keep him. He was a valuable member of the team and very much liked in the club.
Tempo in modern football is unbelievable and there are very few players who can regulate it. Thiago can.
There are players who have too many touches, slow the team down. He has an enormous number of touches, but every one seems necessary.
