Large segments of Liverpool fans have considered him as their team’s best midfielder over the previous few seasons. His inclusion in the PFA Team of the Year for the 2021–22 season demonstrated how highly his Premier League rivals regarded him.
However, Thiago Alcantara is currently in a fascinating situation at Anfield. Despite being the only fully-fledged engine-room operator left from last season, the midfielder’s Liverpool role is now uncertain as he nears a return to full fitness after being sidelined with a hip injury since April.
But Thiago shouldn’t just be ignored. In the middle of the park, Klopp is inexperienced. Off the field, Thiago can share all of his knowledge to help players like Szoboszlai develop, while Bajcetic has already absorbed a lot from the ex-Barcelona player. The kind of role Thiago can play for Liverpool when he becomes available again has already been alluded to by Klopp.
At the tail end of the previous campaign, Milner was regularly used as a substitute who would enter the game late to help finish it. That strategy did work, as the Reds went undefeated to finish in fifth place in the remaining 1 games. All but one featured Milner. There was a gap that needed to be addressed, and Thiago could fill it.
“Now a lot of changes,” said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp during the club’s preseason tour of Singapore. “But again, it’s not only that the new players come into the team – they are obviously in and are real quality – but it always gives opportunity as well to other players to just make the next step if the guy on the position is not anymore.” The international break, according to Klopp, will ‘hopefully be enough’ time for Thiago to heal from his hip problem. When he returns, his function might be obvious.
