The Clubs Who Should Look to Sign Thiago Alcantara if Liverpool Move Falls Through
Thiago Alcantara's time at Bayern Munich appears to be coming to an end, with the club reportedly willing to accept a fee of €30m for the Spaniard.
Liverpool have been touted as the frontrunners to secure his signature, but a move to Anfield is looking less likely day by day.
The midfielder, who has just one year remaining on his contract with the Bundesliga champions, would slot perfectly into Jurgen Klopp's middle trio, casting his creative eye over an already free-flowing attacking team. However, the Premier League winners are not expected to be making an offer.
Should Liverpool refrain from snapping up the playmaker, Bayern Munich are likely to have a number of alternative suitors for Thiago sniffing around. Here's who look to pick him up this summer.
5. FC Barcelona
After Miralem Pjanic's arrival, Barcelona could look to make another addition to their midfield in the form of a very familiar face.
Thiago graduated from the Catalan giants La Masia academy, and was part of the first-team at Camp Nou until former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola took him to Bayern Munich in 2013.
The Spaniard's return would be welcomed, and he could link-up well with the likes of Pjanic and Frenkie De Jong in the midfield.
However, the club are cost-cutting at the moment and are likely to prioritise the signing of Inter's Lautaro Martinez above anything else.
Likelihood Rating: 3/10
4. Chelsea
With the Blues spending big already in this transfer window, they could do a lot worse than part with €30m for Thiago's signature.
Chelsea's central midfield options feature the likes of Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho, who has been linked with a move away from the club, N'Golo Kante, who has been suffering with injuries, and Tiemoue Bakayoko, who is almost certainly leaving the club permantly summer.
There is no doubt the midfield needs fresh faces, and who else is a better option than Thiago? The midfielder's experience could go a long way on the training ground with some of Chelsea's more youthful players, and his creativity - alongside Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic and potentially Kai Havertz - would also be welcomed by Timo Werner at Stamford Bridge.
Likelihood Rating: 4/10
3. Juventus
As part of the deal that saw Pjanic move to Barcelona, Juventus secured the signing of Arthur Melo. However, recent days have sparked huge change at the club.
Italy legend Andrea Pirlo has been appointed as the club's new manager, taking over from Maurizio Sarri who left after Juve were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Lyon.
Pirlo has since reportedly put Aaron Ramsey up for sale, leaving space for another midfielder at the club. Would Pirlo want Thiago? He's certainly a creative midfielder, as Pirlo was in his day, and at €30m he would be an effective signing for Juventus.
A midfield which sees Thiago and Arthur in a partnership or as part of a trio would be incredibly exciting to watch.
Likelihood Rating: 6/10
2. Paris Saint-Germain
We've known PSG to throw their money around in previous transfer windows, but signing Thiago for €30m could be worth every cent.
The Parisians have been the kings of France for years now, but they are yet to make their mark in the UEFA Champions League. Adding a player like Thiago, who has experienced winning the competition, could steer the squad in the right direction.
Thiago would instantly become the most creative midfielder PSG have in their ranks, and could be part of a mouthwatering system playing behind Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
Likelihood Rating: 7/10
1. Manchester City
It's no secret Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is a big fan of the Spanish midfielder.
Guardiola has coached Thiago on two separate occasions and brought him to Bayern Munich from Barcelona in 2013. Thiago has since enjoyed seven seasons in Munich, and you wouldn't bet against Guardiola keeping tabs on the midfielder's current situation.
City are also set to lose the creativity of playmaker David Silva as he departs the club on a free transfer. With Silva set to join Lazio, it could be one Spanish creative midfielder out, and one in for City - with Thiago a more than adequate replacement.
Likelihood Rating: 8/10