According to reports from Italy, one player at Liverpool is attracting interest from a pair of Serie A clubs, albeit with both sharing a significant concern over their mutual target.
TuttoJuve reported that Inter Milan and Juventus have eyes on a possible 2024 swoop for Thiago Alcantara, whose contract at Anfield expires next summer, thus making him available for a free transfer if he isn’t offered new terms before then.
However, while the Nerazzurri are willing to give him a two-year deal, it’d be for a substantially lower wage than what he’s currently earning. Meanwhile, the figures that the 32-year-old would supposedly seek appear to be out of reach for the Turin club.
Thiago is currently on £200,000 per week at Liverpool, making him the third-highest earner at Anfield. That amount would also put him third on Juve’s payroll, while it’s more than any player in the Inter squad (Capology).
It’s telling that, even with those two clubs well on course to qualify for the Champions League as the clear top two in Serie A, they both appear to have reservations over the pay packet the Spaniard is currently taking home each week.
With the midfielder turning 33 next April, and having not played for nearly seven months due to a long-term hip issue (Transfermarkt), it’s understandable why the Italian duo would be reluctant to offer him the same wage that he’s getting on Merseyside.
It also seems unlikely that Liverpool would present him with a new contract of a similar value, even for a player who was labelled ‘staggering’ by Michael Owen last year (BT Sport, via Daily Mail).
Thiago’s future is set to be a topic of discussion throughout the next few months, and right now it appears to be anyone’s guess as to where he’ll be playing his football by the autumn of 2024.
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