For all the excitement and optimism around Liverpool's midfield, it was an update given on Friday that will have brought up some unwanted deja vu for Jurgen Klopp.
While Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo have given a new coat of paint to what was a decaying engine room, the latest news around Thiago Alcantara was something more in line with the frustrations of last season, when injury issues were never too far away from the conversation.
"Thiago is an ongoing thing," Klopp said. "We cannot put any pressure in there as well.. But we expect him to be back, I would probably say start of the New Year."
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It was a hammer blow to those who had been patiently waiting a positive update on the former Bayern Munich and Barcelona midfielder. It was initially thought Thiago would be in line to start the season fully fit after the decision for him to go under the knife to correct a hip issue was brought forward at the beginning of May.
After Liverpool weighed up their options, it was decided they would rather have him flying out the traps for the beginning of this term rather than him soldering on for the end of the last one, with it becoming apparent that top-four hopes were slipping out of sight. That was the strategy, at least.
The plan to get the classy Thiago up to speed as a vital part of the new-look midfield, however, has fallen hopelessly flat. His last start came nine months ago today and his most recent involvement was a half-hour cameo at West Ham in April.
The opportunistic deal to sign the
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