Thiago reappears and it's revealed when he could play again, sooner than planned

Thiago Alcántara's contract with Liverpool expires in just over six months' time, but he has not played a single minute for more than seven months. Injuries and relapses continue to prevent the Spanish player from playing regularly and prominently at Anfield, where he arrived in the summer of 2020 from Bayern Munich. The 32-year-old midfielder, who will complete the third of the three seasons he signed with Liverpool - and who will finish the season at 33 - will leave the Reds in June unless there is an unexpected turn of events.

It's not that he doesn't want to continue, it's that he doesn't know if he will be able to continue: "Let's see how his physique responds," say those who know him, after many weeks battling with his hip. Since his last appearance for Liverpool, in April and against West Ham, coming off the bench for half an hour, Thiago has battled a hip injury that he seemed to have beaten to start the 2023/24 season. However, a relapse of it has further delayed his return and he is not expected to be available again until 2024, despite a busy schedule come December.

While Liverpool have rebuilt their midfield - with the likes of Henderson, Fabinho, Milner, Oxlade and Keita leaving and the likes of Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch and Endo arriving - the figure of Thiago was still present in the club's plans for this season, but with enough players in midfield. Now, with this scenario, not even the player himself knows how his body will react when he returns to the group dynamic: his options in the summer market will depend on that, as he has already rejected offers from Saudi Arabia.

Thiago reappears

The big surprise at Liverpool's training session on Tuesday was the reappearance of Thiago, who was photographed and his image went viral on the team's social media. Although he is not yet fit to play, it is known that he could be back on the pitch in January next year.