Liverpool have made a breakthrough in the saga that had threatened to drag on for much of the transfer window, by agreeing a deal for Bayern Munich’s Thiago Alcantara.
The Spain international will arrive in the Premier League as one of the world’s best – and most decorated – midfielders.
Aside from the Thiago pursuit, Liverpool have been tentatively linked with a handful of younger players.
That includes a Portuguese full-back and RSC Anderlecht winger Jeremy Doku whose contract expires in under two years.
Here is the latest Liverpool transfer round-up.
Bayern concede defeat on Thiago chase
(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Champions League winners Bayern Munich have agreed a deal to sell 29-year-old Spain midfielder Thiago to English champions Liverpool for a £27million fee.
Speaking to BILD, the club’s CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge broke the news, stating; “I can confirm FC Bayern have finally reached an agreement with Liverpool.”
“It was Thiago’s great wish to do something new at the end of his career,” Rummenigge added.
The agreement puts to bed any rumours that Thiago may join rivals Manchester United this summer, much to the delight of the Liverpool fanbase.
Thiago will wear the No.6 shirt at Anfield for the 2020-21 season.
Pundits and players discuss Thiago class
(Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
Various footballing figures have weighed into the discussion surrounding Thiago’s move to Liverpool. The Reds’ full-back Andy Robertson spoke to Sky Sports News referring to the Spaniard as a “fantastic player.”
Meanwhile, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville described the two-time Champions League winner as “world class”.
“[He] would give them a world-class presence in an area of the field where they don’t have a world-class presence. They need that impetus to stay where they are,” the former Manchester United defender quipped.
Over in Germany, Bayern head coach Hansi Flick eulogised over his departing playmaker; “Thiago is an extraordinary player and was very important for us, my coaching team and I enjoyed working with him.”
The praise for the signing and the player has been glowing. It will be interesting to see whether the Spaniard can replicate his success in the Bundesliga on English shores.
Transfer tug-of-war for Sporting teenager
Liverpool’s inactivity in the transfer market is no more with the signing of Thiago and reported interest in Sporting Clube de Portugal full-back Nuno Mendes.
The 18-year-old drew plenty of praise from all corners of Europe during the post-lockdown period of last season in Portugal, graduating to the first team under Ruben Amorim and keeping his place in the side.
It has been a hectic and unique transfer window so far – so make sure you don’t miss a single thing by signing up for the brilliant new Mirror Football newsletter!
You’ll been clued up on Jadon Sancho, Declan Rice and more as clubs buy their way through the summer. All the latest transfer news and big stories will land straight into your inbox. You won’t miss out.
To sign up, put your email at the top of this article or follow the instructions on this link.
Arsenal are also said to be interested in the teenager, meaning Liverpool could face a challenge to snare the Sporting academy product.
Portuguese outlet A Bola reported interest from Serie A too, with Juventus and AC Milan both curious as to how the 18-year-old develops over the course of this season.
The Daily Star did note that both Arsenal and Liverpool have options at left-back currently, and so may not move for Mendes before the window shuts in October.
