For the latest from the pitch sign up for our football newsletter
Thank you for subscribing!
For the latest from the pitch sign up for our football newsletter
We have more newsletters
Liverpool fans can't believe how long Thiago Alcantara is expected to be out injured for.
The Spanish midfielder has been out with a hip injury since April and hasn't featured at all this season. The club were hoping he'd be back in action this month, but a series of frustrating setbacks have delayed his return.
Speaking ahead of Liverpool's trip to Luton this weekend, Jurgen Klopp said Thiago, whose contract expires at the end of the season, likely won't be seen in a red shirt again until 2024. "Thiago is an ongoing thing," he told reporters.
READ MORE: Liverpool 'believe they can sign Kylian Mbappe' – and have not broken contact since 2017
READ MORE: Luis Diaz 'can't sleep' over dad's kidnapping but Liverpool ace could face Luton
"We cannot put any pressure in there as well. But we expect him to be back, I would probably say start of the New Year. It's now already November. That would mean another four weeks, I would say that is probably realistic thing to try."
Exasperated Liverpool fans took to social media to vent, with many urging the club to release the injury prone 32-year-old at the end of the campaign. One user wrote: "Thiago simply cannot be given a contract extension. I don’t care what any of his fan boys say. Availability is the most important trait in football and we’re paying the guy £200k a week for 33% availability if that."
Rate Thiago's Liverpool career out of 10 in the comments section below.
Another said: "I love Thiago, he's one of the best and most talented midfielders in the world but it's time to let him go for free. He hasn't played since, what, April and we're paying him £200K to be indefinitely injured? It's not worth the risk anymore."
A third agreed, adding: "Yep he has to be gone in the summer. Can't be raking in huge wages while contributing next to nothing for the team. Plus he'll be 33 at the end of the season. Time to get rid."
- Create a winning approach on the tactics board, incorporating modern systems and positional innovations to deliver big victories on the pitch.
- Master the transfer market, using new ways to craft a dream squad capable of winning titles.
- Level up your players on the training field and turn your contenders into champions.
£39.99 (PS5), £40.49 (PC)
Thiago's Liverpool career has been plagued by fitness problems. Since joining from Bayern Munich in 2020 the 32-year-old has missed 88 matches (and counting) through injury. He hasn't started for Klopp's side since February and featured in just 18 Premier League matches last season.
The mercurial midfielder, who has won an FA Cup with the Reds but was injured in the pre-match warm-up before their League Cup victory in 2022, is believed to be the third highest earner at Anfield, behind only Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
- Liverpool FC
- Premier League
- Jurgen Klopp
Source: Read Full Article
