Liverpool

Liverpool

Premier League • England

Liverpool enter talks with agent over surprise midfielder deal with Klopp wary of January transfer sting

Jurgen Klopp, October 2022

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp during a Premier League game at Anfield

Liverpool are in talks with the agent of Thiago Alcantara over a new deal at Anfield – with Jurgen Klopp eager to protect the club against yet another loss of an experienced midfielder.

The Reds spent the summer rebuilding their midfield with four new players arriving to the tune of £145.2m. Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Waturu Endo and Ryan Gravenberch have all been brought in to supplement an engine room that had been stung by six departures.

Szoboszlai, in particular, has already made a strong start, though Klopp has already been accused on playing one of those new boys out of position and making him look lifeless.

Indeed, of the six who departed Anfield, three of those in Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner all left as free agents. Ultimately, those decisions were ultimately made by the Merseysiders, who declined the chance to tie the trio to new deals.

But with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho then moving to Saudi Arabia later that summer, Klopp suddenly found his midfield options looking light, and particularly in light of players who knew what it takes to win trophies at Liverpool.

Now Klopp is keen to ensure the Reds are not stung once again in the January window over Thiago.

The Spaniard’s deal is due to expire next summer, meaning he is eligible to discuss a free-transfer move with overseas suitors from January 1.

And the 32-year-old, who recently attracted attention from clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia, already has plenty of suitors on his trail ahead of a possible free move in summer 2024.

Klopp, though, is now instructing Liverpool to ensure that the club are not stung that way again.

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Liverpool set terms for Thiago in new contract talks

As a result, Football Insider reports that Liverpool have opened talks with the player’s agent over a possible contract extension at Anfield.

However, it is believed that talks over that possible renewal are only in the preliminary stages and, at this point, an agreement is not yet close.

Nonetheless, Klopp has reportedly made it clear to his bosses that Liverpool cannot afford to let another experienced option depart Anfield.

However, in those preliminary talks with the player, Liverpool are understood to have made it clear that they want to seen an improvement in the player’s availability under Klopp, with the Spaniard’s time at Anfield blighted by a series of niggling injury issues.

Indeed, having arrived in a £25m deal from Bayern Munich in September 2020, Thiago has been limited to just 97 appearances over three seasons. Currently sidelined since April with the hip injury that ended his 2022/23 campaign, the former Barcelona star is yet to make an appearance for the Reds this term.

As a result, Liverpool have made it clear in those talks that an extension to his deal needs to be earned before fresh terms are offered

Thiago made just 21 starts in all competitions last season, while this season, Liverpool have picked up 13 points from the first 15 available, winning four in a row since their 1-1 draw at Chelsea on the opening day.

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