FC Barcelona superstars are pleading for the return of Thiago Alcantara, with the Bayern Munich midfielder reportedly made available on the market.
According to reports by Catalan news publication Sport, FC Barcelona players feel that it might be the perfect time for the club to re-sign Thiago Alcantara. The Bayern Munich superstar is currently available on the market after he was deemed surplus to the requirements by newly appointed head coach Niko Kovac.
Highly regarded as one of the best midfielders in world football at the moment, Thiago Alcantara has found resounding success since moving to Bayern in the summer of 2013. Although he did fail to live up to his potential under Pep Guardiola, his time with Carlo Ancelotti showed exactly what he is capable of.
A bargain signing from FC Barcelona, Thiago has made over 150 appearances for FC Bayern in all competitions, winning five back to back Bundesliga titles along with two German Cups.
Thiago has seen a massive rise in his stock under the leadership of Carlo Ancelotti, in particular. The former Real Madrid boss utilized the Spaniard’s ball-playing abilities quite well, deploying him alongside the more robust Arturo Vidal. While the Chilean used his physicality and aggression to dominate the opposing midfield, Thiago’s flawless movements coupled with his world-class positional sense helped Bayern remain their status as a German powerhouse.
FC Barcelona, on the other hand, have been rocked by the departure of the legendary Andreas Iniesta. The likes of Andre Gomes have failed to make an impact at Camp Nou while record signing Philipe Coutinho has been utilized more as an attacker rather than a midfielder. Therefore, the addition of a quality central midfielder is imperative for the Blaugrana.
Thiago, in that case, could be an ideal solution for FC Barcelona. A former graduate of their famed La Masia academy, the Bayern Munich midfielder has a good relationship with many of the Barcelona’s superstars, having graduated from the same youth academy.
In pure sporting perspectives, Thiago’s arrival will give Barcelona an upper hand in the midfield department. His ability to act as a midfield lynchpin can help the likes of Philipe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele and Luis Suarez to have more freedom in the attacking department. But most importantly, the 27-year-old can minimize the workload of Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, who was involved in the bulk of Barcelona’s attacking work this season.
In fact, some of the most important Barcelona players have told president Josep Maria Bartomeu to re-sign the highly rated midfielder, who is more than capable of making a difference for the club next season.
That being said, the Spaniard still has a three-year contract with the Bavarians, who have already slapped a €80m price tag on their prized superstar. Although a deal can be struck around €50m, it will largely depend on Barcelona’s negotiating skills.
