Liverpool have been chasing Bayern Munich's Thiago Alcantara for essentially the entirety of the summer transfer window. At first, while the current champions of Europe were still competing for their crown, the ongoing season was an obstacle, but now, their path should be cleared.

However, Jurgen Klopp was reluctant to meet the Bavarians' asking price for the elite midfielder despite being able to scoop him up for a relatively low sum, and that could now be punished by a potential new bidder.

Mundo Deportivo have reported that Barcelona are considering going back for Thiago and bringing him home. The midfielder has been a big part of their squad in the years gone by and they could indeed make a bid for him.

The problem is that Ronald Koeman, the new coach, has different priorities and wants Georginio Wijnaldum instead while the board prefers the Spaniard.

And their decision could ultimately make the difference for Liverpool as well. If they sell Wijnaldum to Barcelona, they could have the funds to seal the Thiago transfer. However, if Barcelona insist on getting the Bayern star themselves, it feels like the Reds won't be able to stop them.

Needless to say, this would indeed be a shame because Thiago would be perfect for Liverpool according to Graeme Souness. Here's what he said about him in his column in The Times:

"Thiago Alcantara, the Bayern Munich midfielder, would be perfect because he works his socks off but is also gifted technically. He is 29, but he still has a couple of years, maybe three, at the highest level left in him."

Verdict

It would be a real shame if Liverpool missed out on Thiago. It's simply not possible to get a world-class midfielder like him for a low price and usually they are not exactly available on the market.

For that reason, Klopp shouldn't let Barcelona beat them in the race for his signature.