‘Fantastic’: Reported £20m target tipped to replace PL winner in Liverpool’s starting XI

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Frank Le Boeuf believes Bayern Munich maestro Thiago Alcantara will be a “fantastic” signing for Liverpool but, speaking to ESPN FC, the former Premier League ace is wondering where this might leave Fabinho at Anfield.

No one is downplaying the impact one of the most gifted playmakers in world football had on Bayern’s treble-winning success in 2019/20.

But, as Bundesliga fanatics will tell you, Thiago wouldn’t have started those Champions League victories over Chelsea, Barcelona, Lyon and Paris Saint-German if Benjamin Pavard had been fully fit to feature at right-back – pushing Joshua Kimmich into the Spaniard’s number six role.

Thiago featured from the first whistle in only 20 of Bayern’s 34 league games last term.

However, the fact he is used to a squad rotation role could be a positive for a Liverpool side that’s hardly short of talent in the middle of the park.

“When you’re a player with that kind of quality you can adjust to any type of football. Especially if it’s an offensive type of football, like Liverpool,” says Le Boeuf, a two-time FA Cup winner at Chelsea.

“He’s very smart. I mean, he played in Barcelona so he knows how to play football! We all know his quality of passes. I have no doubt he’s going to adjust very fast and very early. It’s fantastic news for fans of Liverpool and the future of the Reds.

“Klopp will have to make sure everybody’s happy in the dressing room, everybody’s playing. I think about Fabinho – what’s going to happen? It’s going to be tricky to see how a player behaves when he is on the bench.”

Thiago, who is expected to join for about £20 million and earn £200,000 a week at Anfield, isn’t going to be a guaranteed member of Klopp’s first XI. What he will offer, however, is something a little different and creative against deep-lying defences.

While Fabinho’s passing range can’t be ignored, Thiago is a man who can unlock a door from 30 yards away.