Rumour Mongering: Liverpool Considering Thiago January Pre-Contract

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It could be actual news or it might just be rumour mongers with no insight looking to fill the void. Same as it ever was.

It’s been a few days now since we’ve heard anything—real or otherwise—on the Thiago Alcantara front, which means we’re well past due another update that could either be an actual update based on real insight or just the rumour mongers making noise.

Either way, the latest Thiago chatter, care of Sky’s Kaveh Solhekol, has the Reds considering pushing back their recruitment of the 29-year-old Bayern midfielder until January, when they could agree a pre-contract before signing him on a free in the summer.

If you’re inclined to believe that Liverpool have in fact agreed personal terms with the player and have spent the past month or so trying to drive down Bayern’s asking price, then this is the next logical step. It’s the last card the Reds can play to get a better deal.

It’s a reminder to Bayern that if they don’t drop their asking price to something Liverpool are happy to pay this month, they risk losing Thiago on a free next summer—or for far less in January, in just three-and-a-half months, after he agrees a pre-contract.

Conversely, given it is the next logical step, it’s the kind of easy, speculative story that could be thrown into the mix regardless of whether there’s any truth or insight underpinning it. It’s a way to further drag out a story that’s dragged out now for quite some time.

Meanwhile in Germany, Bayern returned for pre-season this week—minus Thiago, given extra time off due to international commitments—and manager Hansi Flick has been telling reporters they’re happy to keep the player for the final year of his deal.

All of which doesn’t appear to bring us any closer to a done deal than we were before despite the past insistence of the rumour mongers—the same ones updating us now—that a deal was sure to be done shortly after Bayern’s 2019-20 season ended.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com