Thiago Alcantara

[danperkins]

Or maybe he and his young family like where they are and want to stay another year.


We can stamp our feet as fans all we like, but our players have contracts and if they want to see them out they will.

We whinge when players do not give up big wage contracts and we whinge when performing players decide to see out/honour a contract and leave.


With Thiago we knew what we were getting. A guy who generally gets in about 30 games a season in all comps where he performs to a very high level usually, and that has a great reputation for how he is for helping players on the training ground.

What we need to be doing with Thiago is to get his replacement in now and have Thiago's 20 to 30 games this coming season being there for when the new guy or others need a rest.

Unlike Henderson and possibly Fabinho, you know what you are going to get from Thiago more often than not when he is fit. The other two when fit are a bit of a lottery right now with regards to the level they will be at on the pitch.


Get MacAllister in and that gives us Jones as his deputy with Thiago also there to play either LCM or cover RCM plus Thiago could do the role TAA is doing from deep, so that makes Thiago well worth keeping for his final 12 months as cover even if he only gives us 20 to 30 games of that.

Of course & we also whinge when we don't get targets as the funds don't allow it as they are tied up in under performing or unavailable players wages. Lucky for us, this is just a forum convo and pie in the sky like talking about wanting Barella/Thuram/Ndicka etc. Maybe they don't like bangers and mash so LFC was never an option for them.

I think Thiago averages about 24 games per season & you have to factor in "coming back from injury games too". He's a fabulous talent but not reliable & unfortunately those wages could be used to fund or stretch for a potential target. Yes, there is nothing we can do if he doesn't want to leave but we are allowed to be frustrated by it & as much as he might not want to leave, be happy in the country etc ... maybe he isn't, maybe his family wants better weather, maybe he wants to play as much football as possible etc.

He'll probably run out his contract as he won't get those wages anywhere else in the top European leagues & he probably would be handy as a squad player "if" we get the targets we want and need. That's the big question though. If we got in 2 or 3 top quality mids and kept Thiago, that would be great. If we can't get in who we want because the finances are not there, it's a problem.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Hopefully he likes the Saudi Arabian weather & their beautiful culture & people & stuff.

Or maybe he and his young family like where they are and want to stay another year.


We can stamp our feet as fans all we like, but our players have contracts and if they want to see them out they will.

We whinge when players do not give up big wage contracts and we whinge when performing players decide to see out/honour a contract and leave.


With Thiago we knew what we were getting. A guy who generally gets in about 30 games a season in all comps where he performs to a very high level usually, and that has a great reputation for how he is for helping players on the training ground.

What we need to be doing with Thiago is to get his replacement in now and have Thiago's 20 to 30 games this coming season being there for when the new guy or others need a rest.

Unlike Henderson and possibly Fabinho, you know what you are going to get from Thiago more often than not when he is fit. The other two when fit are a bit of a lottery right now with regards to the level they will be at on the pitch.


Get MacAllister in and that gives us Jones as his deputy with Thiago also there to play either LCM or cover RCM plus Thiago could do the role TAA is doing from deep, so that makes Thiago well worth keeping for his final 12 months as cover even if he only gives us 20 to 30 games of that.

[Angryred]

Sell him? IMO absolutely. Luxury player, always injured & on a bumper wage.

Yeah, would be in favour of that

[danperkins]

Nobody will buy him though. Same as ox and keita... we will have to run his contract down

Hopefully he likes the Saudi Arabian weather & their beautiful culture & people & stuff.

[Charly]

Nobody will buy him though. Same as ox and keita... we will have to run his contract down

[danperkins]

Sell him? IMO absolutely. Luxury player, always injured & on a bumper wage.

[Fosterbloke]

How is he going to find a club if he’s on crutches after an operation?

Google

[Doc_Piptorious]

A return to Germany and reuniting with Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen or maybe a tilt at Serie A though that is no longer to slow paced league it once was.


Don't think he will move this summer though, not with only a year left on his contract. Think we will do the same as we have done with Keita and Chamberlain and keep him around for his last season as he is meant to be a bit like Milner behind the in terms of coaching the younger players and being a senior voice.


Do wonder if he will follow the Alonso route into coaching. When you hear him talk about football, it is similar to how Alonso talks about the game and pretty much cliche free.

[Norbs]

He will be cheap and there will be a long list of candidates willing to take a punt, even in the PL.

Q. Who plays slows casual glamourous football?

A. Whoever he signs for next season

[S-RED]

5mill & Barca i reckon

[Charly]

Nobody will pay money at his age if we couldnt get rid of Naby and Ox.

Wages could go toward Salahs pay rise last year.

[Rich]

18 league appearances this season. Not good enough.

[Rafa Justice]

How is he going to find a club if he’s on crutches after an operation?

If Jesse Lingaard can find a club...

[Kenneth]

How is he going to find a club if he’s on crutches after an operation?

[Rafa Justice]

Pictures on fb of thiago on crutches leaving a Barcelona hospital, apparently having had an operation. The text suggests he's done for the season and very likely to be moving on.

Best for all parties. We get £10-15m hopefully and free up wages and a treatment table.

What with Naby, Ox and him going in the summer we can lay off half the medical team and save some money there too.