Jurgen Klopp has heaped praise on Thiago Alcantara for his influence within the Liverpool squad ahead of the 2023/24 season which kicked off on Friday night.
Alcantara returned to full training with the Reds having missed the final weeks of last season due to a hip injury that required surgery.
The 32-year-old who is preparing for his fourth campaign at Anfield is likely to be on the substitutes bench in the club’s first Premier League game of the season against Chelsea on Sunday.
Klopp said: “He’s now training. He came in and asked about his role and we spoke.
“[He’s a] super-experienced player. He stepped up in that department. He has only been in team training for a week but very vocal. He is going to be very helpful for us.”
Alcantara is attracting interest from several clubs with just one year left on his remaining contract with the Reds and it is believed that the club won’t be offering the 32-year-old a new deal due to his concerning injury record.
According to reports, a bid worth £10.35m (€12m) was submitted by Al-Ahli in an attempt to lure the Reds into selling the Spain international, however, it is believed that Liverpool are yet to receive any formal bid for Alcantara.
Liverpool are currently light in midfield following the exit of five senior midfielders this summer, therefore Jurgen Klopp would not sanction the exit of his no.6.
The Spanish midfielder has been hampered by injuries since moving to Anfield from Bayern Munich in 2020. He has racked up 97 appearances and made nine goal contributions across all competitions.
Despite his injury record, Alcantara has helped Jurgen Klopp’s outfit clinch the Carabao Cup, Emirates FA Cup, and Community Shield. Last season, he featured in 28 games and recorded one assist across all competitions as the Reds finished 5th in the Premier League table.
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