Barcelona join Man Utd and Liverpool in Thiago transfer battle after ‘contacting’ former star about emotional return

BARCELONA have joined Liverpool and Manchester United’s fight for Bayern Munich hero Thiago Alcantara – having eportedly contacting their ex-midfielder.

New Barca boss Ronald Koeman is also after Lyon’s ex-United winger Memphis Depay and Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum.

Manu Fernandez

Thiago consoles Barcelona’s Jordi Alba after Bayern Munich’s 8-2 Champions League romp but could yet be rejoining the Laliga giants[/caption]

PA:Empics Sport

Midfielder Thiago was with Barcelona from 2010-2013 before joining Bayern[/caption]

And German newspaper Bild suggest Koeman is keen on an emotional return for Champions League winner Thiago, who helped Bayern humiliate Barca 8-2 in the quarter-finals.

Liverpool have been regarded as favourites to land the £27milllion-rated Spain ace, whose contract runs ut next year.

And the Premier League champions seem to offer a more logical new home for the 29-year-old than United.

Old Trafford boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has just recruited £39m Ajax midfield star Donny van de Beek.

 

That means Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba and fellow creative force van de Beek are battling to show they can all fit into the same United side, behind Solskjaer’s preference for three attackers.

In contrast, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has largely held back in the transfer market this summer.

And if Barcelona pursue van de Beek’s Holland team-mate Wijnaldum, then Klopp would surely be even keener on Thiago.

So far the 39-cap Spaniard has publically tried to shut down transfer talk.

He said at a press conference before last Friday’s Nations League clash with Ukraine: “I have not told anyone that I’m leaving.

“Every year, they put me in a different club.”

“I neither care nor am I interested (in the speculation).”