Hansi Flick Admits Thiago Is Yet to Decide on Liverpool Move
By Tom Gott
Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick has claimed that midfielder Thiago Alcantara is yet to make a final decision about his future this summer.
Thiago has entered the final year of his contract and has informed Bayern that he does not intend to renew as he wants a change of scenery, with Liverpool widely believed to be leading the race for his signature.
However, Manchester City have also been linked with the Spaniard, while Arsenal were recently credited with an interest, and with Liverpool yet to pull the trigger on this move, his future still remains up in the air.
Speaking after Sunday's Champions League final victory (via The Mirror), Flick left a press conference in stunned silence after he joked that Thiago had confirmed his desire to stay at Bayern, before saying: "You pulled a brilliant face!"
Returning to the real world, he then added: "No, I just thanked him for our time together, just like I did every other player. I don't know and he doesn't know yet either [which club he will join], because we all focused on this Champions League final. I think we will have to wait for what the following days will bring."
Thiago has already agreed personal terms with Liverpool and is believed to be keen on a move to Anfield, but the Reds are hesitant to meet Bayern's demands of between £27m and £36m, with manager Jürgen Klopp regularly insisting there will be no big signings this summer in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
The Reds declined to pay around £50m to land Timo Werner's signature earlier in the summer while they assessed and instead have been restricted to just the £11.75m deal for left-back Kostas Tsimikas.
However, if Liverpool were to sell one of their current crop of midfielders, it would make a move for Thiago much more justifiable, and that's where Georginio Wijnaldum comes in.
The Dutchman is wanted by new Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman, and a move to Camp Nou would free up both funds and a squad space which could well prompt a formal move for Thiago.