The Reds have pulled off some remarkable signings in recent years. From the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, Liverpool’s recruitment team has been the envy of the world. Their most recent addition, Thiago Alcantara, is the most high profile signing yet and supporters cannot get enough of the Spanish sensation.
It was the transfer story that dominated the headlines over the entire summer and just when it seemed as if this was a love affair was going to end up without the happy ending, all of a sudden a deal was completed.
It all started with a phone call in June. Thiago was close to signing a lucrative new four-year contract with Bayern Munich, worth around £12 million per year (£230,000 per week), when all of a sudden, his head was turned.
The Spain international was informed that Jurgen Klopp wanted him at Anfield and the lure of Liverpool was just too strong to refuse.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 25: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Jurgen Klopp manager of Liverpool talking with Thiago Alcantara of Liverpool during the training session at Melwood Training Ground on September 25, 2020 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Klopp had long since admired Thiago, who recently became a European champion for the second time in a trophy ridden career that has seen him win 23 honours at club level, and it soon became clear during their discussions that the feeling was mutual.
The Liverpool manager wanted the services of a player he deemed as a ‘gamechanger’ and someone who was ready-made to help oversee the next evolution stage of this squad.
It’s difficult to remember the last time Liverpool were able to poach one of the best players in the world from a European rival who only a few weeks prior to Thiago’s signing had done a triple sweep of Europe’s biggest trophies.
For Liverpool, it was always about trying to make the numbers work after revenues were hit heavily by the ongoing financial ramifications of the pandemic, and this is exactly what they did.
Sporting director Michael Edwards, who is a famously tough negotiator, was able to work his magic in the transfer market once again. The breakdown of the fee is extraordinary given the calibre of the player Liverpool have signed. The Reds will pay an initial £20 million which will be spread over the course of Thiago’s contract, with an initial outlay of just £5 million.
To put that into perspective, Liverpool were able to offload defender Ki-Jana Hoever – a player still yet to feature in the PL – the following day in a deal which could rise to £13.5 million.
More Thiago footage
It’s fair to say, Liverpool supporters have been loving the Thiago content ever since the former Barcelona maestro put pen-to-paper on his four-year deal with the Reds last Friday.
From the signing-on vlog to his first interview, Kopites cannot seem to get enough when it comes to Liverpool’s new No.6, and the content doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.
The club have delivered again, releasing the first official training footage of Thiago as an official Liverpool player.
The video shows the Spaniard demonstrating his array of tricks in a short clip from the 10 minutes of footage Liverpool’s media team put together from Friday afternoon’s training session at Melwood.
It had Reds fans swooning once again with Thiago geared and ready to potentially make his full Liverpool debut at Anfield on Monday night against Arsenal.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 25: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota of Liverpool during the training session at Melwood Training Ground on September 25, 2020 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Reaction
Here are a selection of responses from Kopites reacting to yet another video featuring arguably the club’s biggest signing in the Premier League era…
He’s better than Pogba.
— Harry (@ImHarryMCFC) September 25, 2020
That skill is absolutely outrageous and he does it so effortlessly
— Josh (@LFCJosh23) September 25, 2020
Even Admin is obsessed with Thiago 🤩😂
— kabirr (@SK_Kabirr) September 25, 2020
— Goularte PaulinBit Ⓖ︎ (PL 1️⃣9️⃣🏆) (@PaulinBit) September 26, 2020
Jota standing there like “…damn…”
— Vote November 2020 (@AnLan2002) September 25, 2020
this content 🔥
— Dh (@dh_alharthi) September 25, 2020
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