Jurgen Klopp “deserves a medal” for bringing Thiago to Liverpool, according to former Reds midfielder Danny Murphy.
Thiago completed a move from Bayern Munich last month, impressing on his debut against Chelsea.
It was immediately clear in that performance that Klopp had signed an elite footballer – someone with vast experience but still with years ahead of him at the top.
Speaking on the Football Index Podcast on Tuesday, with quotes provided by the Evening Standard, Murphy lauded Klopp for snapping up the Spaniard:
I think Thiago is an unbelievable acquisition because he is one of the only players in Europe who could improve Liverpool’s midfield.
Even at 29 years old, he will give Liverpool at least three or four years and it was a brilliant bit of business for the fee involved as well.
I first watched Thiago at Barcelona and the game looked effortless for him. Thiago is a midfielder that can dictate the tempo of a match like Scholes used to, and there aren’t many of them about.
Thiago has the ability to always have time on the ball because of the movement he does to create space. He very rarely loses the ball when he is pressed because of his awareness.
Thiago is an absolute steal at that price. Klopp deserves a medal for convincing him because the Liverpool fans are going to adore him.
Read Liverpool Verdict
I don’t actually think enough has been made of how huge Thiago’s signing could prove to be.
Midfield has been the one area of the pitch with a question mark against it at Anfield, in terms of the Reds lacking a world-class level of guile.
The likes of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum bring dynamism and defensive solidity to the team, but they all averaged fewer than one key pass per game in the Premier League last season – 0.7, 0.9 and 0.5 respectively – as did Naby Keita (0.8) and James Milner (0.5).
Thiago brings that in abundance, however, with his average of one per match already the most out of Liverpool’s midfielders in 2020/21, albeit in a very small sample size.
The 29-year-old’s 75 passes away to Chelsea was a Premier League record in a half at that time – Virgil van Dijk has since broken it – and he has the ability to make space for himself and never look rushed.
I don’t think Liverpool have made a more high-profile signing in the Premier League era, with so many of their great players being turned into world-class individuals, whether it Fernando Torres, Luis Suarez, Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mane.
Injuries have plagued Thiago somewhat, which is a minor concern – he had three separate issues last season alone – but if he can stay fit he can transform Liverpool’s midfield in the way Virgil van Dijk changed the defence.
