By Tom Victor
Thiago Alcantara has left Liverpool to continue rehab for his injury issues, with the midfielder having most likely played his final game for the club.
The Spanish international has struggled with injuries for large parts of his time at Anfield, last starting a Premier League game in February 2023. He returned from his latest hip problem in the defeat at Arsenal this season, but a five-minute cameo remains his only appearance of the campaign.
Thiago is out of contract at the end of the season, and there have been no murmurings of a new deal for the former Bayern Munich star. A move to the Middle East has been mooted, with his brother Rafinha currently playing in Qatar.
Since joining from Bayern in the summer of 2020, Thiago has played just 98 times under Jurgen Klopp. The 32-year-old has been out of the picture at international level as well, last featuring for Spain in their Euro 2020 semi-final defeat to Italy.
According to Relevo (via This is Anfield), Liverpool have allowed Thiago to return to Spain to work with his personal physio. The move, it is being reported, is designed to allow the Barcelona academy graduate to work on his longer-term fitness ahead of a potential summer move.
Back in February, Klopp admitted he was unsure whether Thiago would feature again before the end of the season. "I don't know, to be honest," he said,
"It's a couple of things but what he has to do now from a medical point of view and I don't know if it will mean again if he can play again. It's not a short-term thing and that's why I'm not 100 per cent in it. I'm not sure if it's the same but the region is the same."
Thiago isn't the only Reds player who may have played his final game in Liverpool colours. Joel Matip sustained an ACL injury in December, and he too is out of contract at the end of the current campaign.
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“Joel is running," Klopp said ahead of Thursday's meeting with Sheffield United. "He hates that, but he is able to run again. He’s now pain-free, but it all takes time. I don’t think the season is long enough for him.”
Back in December, the Liverpool boss said he hoped the club would hand Matip a new deal. “I’m pretty sure the club will show their class, just how they should do,” he said.
“I’m pretty sure the club told Joel already that whatever happens so long as he is injured. Now we have to make decisions together with Joel, how it looks after that. That’s a normal thing to do. But yes he deserves all the support from us and he will get it.
"I would say [Matip will be offered a new deal] but it’s not my decision in the end," added the manager, who will leave himself in the summer. "I cannot sign the paper.”
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