Thiago Alcantara’s time with Liverpool will come to an end this summer upon the expiration of his contract.
The gifted midfielder – one assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders joked had been ‘born in a rondo’ – bids Anfield farewell after four seasons, during which he made 98 appearances and scored six goals.
An experienced figure who boasted an incredible medal collection upon his arrival, Thiago added to it by lifting the Emirates FA Cup and FA Community Shield in 2022 with the Reds.
“Before he even came to Liverpool I believed that if you really love football it would make a lot of sense if you watched Thiago Alcantara play,” said Jürgen Klopp.
“Technically, he is so, so good. A talent who could play in any team in the world and it was a privilege to have him with us.
“I already knew a lot about him as a footballer before he got here – what he did at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, how could you not? – and I could not have been happier when he decided to take on a new challenge with us.
“From that point on I got to see him up close and all I can say is ‘Wow’. Most importantly, he was part of a new story and helped us develop as a team because of his special qualities.
“I know injuries have been a frustration for him and also for us but the level that he was able to play at when he was available was incredible. This is what I will remember.
“Now he will go in a new direction with his family and we can only wish them well. Wherever he plays next I would be happy to watch. An artist of the game who will only ever paint the most beautiful pictures.”
Thiago arrived on Merseyside in September 2020 to much fanfare and fresh from hoisting aloft the Champions League with Bayern Munich.
“Because he is so calm and he plays so many creative passes, all the other players start playing like that,” Lijnders said shortly after the switch was completed.
“This is the power of example, the power of models. He will not only improve our game but improve all the other players.”
Supporters’ excitement was warranted when he enjoyed a record-breaking debut away at Chelsea in the Premier League.
Stepping off the bench at half-time to help inspire a 2-0 win, Thiago completed a remarkable 75 passes – the most in a single half since Opta began collecting the data.
An injury in the Merseyside derby at Everton halted his promising start but Thiago was ever-present at the back end of the campaign to help secure a third-placed finish in the league.
During a 10-match unbeaten run to finish 2020-21, the No.6 opened his goalscoring account for Liverpool with a perfectly placed side-foot from the edge of the box to wrap up a 2-0 victory against Southampton.
Thiago was a central figure the following season as the Reds mounted an exhilarating push for a quadruple, which fell agonisingly short.
His highlights included a simply stunning daisy-cutter in front of the Kop versus FC Porto in the Champions League and then one of the best midfield displays in Anfield’s recent history in a 4-0 routing of Manchester United.
There were tears at Wembley in February 2022 when an injury in the warm-up denied him the chance to appear in the Carabao Cup final versus Chelsea. But a few months later, he was back at the same venue against the same opposition to help Liverpool emerge victorious in the FA Cup’s showpiece, scoring in the 6-5 penalty shootout success.
Injury restricted him to 28 outings during the testing 2022-23 campaign and fitness issues would frustratingly continue as he was limited to just a solitary appearance in what would turn out to be his final season as a Red.
But Thiago’s class was not only felt on the pitch but in his community, too.
In February of last year, he opened up a new play area for young children in Toxteth, which was funded by The Alcantara Foundation and LFC Foundation.
“Our foundation’s work is to be a part of and involved in the cities where we live,” Thiago said at the time. “Liverpool was a choice, and we want to leave a piece of our body, our soul here.”
He departs with a sizeable impact on the squad, the club’s honours list and in the local area.
Everyone at Liverpool FC would like to thank Thiago for his contribution and wish him and his family all the very best for the future.