Charlie Davies has said Thiago Alcantara simply doesn’t have the legs or fitness to start for Liverpool in Jurgen Klopp’s best XI.
Speaking on CBS Sports’ Morning Footy, the former USA international claimed that the 32-year-old midfielder’s inability to cover ground in a high press is why Thiago might not be a starter for Liverpool in the new season.
Davies said: “Who do you think is starting in the midfield? What is the best three? Because I think Thiago, he just doesn’t have the legs to cover the ground in the high press. That’s’ why he’s not seeing the playing time.”
With James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho all leaving Liverpool this summer, Thiago is now not only the oldest midfielder at the club but one of the oldest players in the entire Reds squad.
Whilst there’s no denying Thiago’s ability on the ball, the midfielder’s inability to last an entire game has been evident for quite some time, with injuries also a constant source of annoyance for the player and fans.
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Indeed, with Liverpool spending big this summer on Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, there’s a real chance that Thiago will take a backseat next season for a new generation to come through under Jurgen Klopp.
Thiago could still play a massive role for Liverpool next season
Lauded by Mark Lawrenson as a ‘world-class’ player, Thiago is still one of the best players at Liverpool and a midfielder who has the ability to change a game on its head if needed.
And whilst the 32-year-old’s fitness issues are a major problem, that’s not to say that Thiago is completely useless for the Reds going into the new season, with the Spaniard expected to feature regularly for the Anfield side.
When fit and firing, no player in the Liverpool squad can come close to Thiago’s quality and creative output, and Klopp will be hopeful that he sees this version of the midfielder a lot more than in previous seasons.