According to The Guardian, Thiago rejected a last-gasp return to Barcelona because he was desperate to join Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
The Reds completed a massive coup by signing Thiago in September, paying just £20million to lure him over from Bayern Munich.
Following months of speculation, Liverpool finally landed their man, and he made a real impression on his debut against Chelsea.
Some believe that the Spaniard will add a new dimension to the Liverpool midfield, possessing outstanding technique, passing ability and vision; attributes that have made him one of the world’s top midfielders.
Liverpool weren’t alone in pursuing Thiago though, and Barcelona allegedly made a last-ditch offer for Thiago to make an emotional return to the Camp Nou.
The 29-year-old joined Barcelona from Flamengo way back in 2005, and spent eight years with the club before leaving to join Pep Guardiola at Bayern.
Despite the lure of heading back to Catalunya, Thiago chose Liverpool, with this report stating that he was ‘convinced and enthralled’ by Reds boss Klopp.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard something like this. Klopp tends to have this impact on players, because he is not only such an outstanding coach but also a great character and a man that people gravitate towards.
Klopp was able to convince Thiago – one of the world’s top playmakers – to join Liverpool with just a series of video calls, and Reds fans shouldn’t underestimate the role Klopp can play in luring players to Anfield.
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