Liverpool to sign Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich

Posted September 17, 2020 7:00 am

The Associated Press

FILE -- In this Friday, Sept. 11, 2020 file photo Bayern's Thiago, center, warms up during a training session in Munich, Germany. The German Bundesliga starts next Friday, Sept. 18, 2020. hiago Alcantara is joining Liverpool after ending his seven-year stint at European champion Bayern Munich. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, file) The Associated Press

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) - Thiago Alcantara is joining Liverpool after ending his seven-year stint at European champion Bayern Munich.

Liverpool will reportedly pay 20 million pounds ($26 million) up front with a potential additional 5 million pounds ($6.5 million) later.

'œThat was Thiago's great wish,'ť Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said on Thursday in a video interview with German newspaper Bild. 'œIt was his great wish, quite simply, to do something new before the end of his career.'ť

The Spain midfielder won seven consecutive Bundesliga titles with Bayern and the Champions League last month. His contract with the Munich club was due to expire at the end of the 2020-21 season.

The 29-year-old Thiago Alcantara is Liverpool's second signing of the transfer window. The club also brought in defender Kostas Tsimikas from Olympiakos last month.

Liverpool manager JÃ¼rgen Klopp said last week that Thiago Alcantara was a 'œreally good player" when commenting on the club's reported interest in signing him.

'œI can only congratulate Kloppo, he's got a top player and a sensationally good person,'ť Bayern coach Hansi Flick said.

Flick added he tried and failed to persuade Thiago Alcantara to stay, and 'œit was very emotional today when he said goodbye.'ť

Bayern may not sign any replacement.

Rummenigge said Bayern would primarily use the money from the sale to cope with the 'œgreat financial challenge'ť posed by the coronavirus pandemic. That includes a lack of matchday revenue after the mayor of Munich barred fans from Bayern's opening Bundesliga game on Friday.

However, Flick said he was in talks with club management about bringing in new signings before the transfer window closes on Oct. 5.

'œWe have lost another quality player,'ť Flick said Thursday.

Besides Thiago Alcantara, Bayern has also parted with the on-loan trio of Philippe Coutinho, Ivan Perisic and Alvaro Odriozola. Of four signings, only Leroy SanÃ© appears likely to play a large proportion of games.

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File -- In this Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019 file photo Bayern's Thiago plays during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Bayern Munich at the Borussia Park in Moenchengladbach, Germany. Thiago Alcantara is joining Liverpool after ending his seven-year stint at European champion Bayern Munich. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, file) The Associated Press

FILE -- In this Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019 file photo Bayern's Thiago controls the ball during the German Bundesliga first devision soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen 04 in Munich, Germany. Thiago Alcantara is joining Liverpool after ending his seven-year stint at European champion Bayern Munich. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, file) The Associated Press

FILE - In this file photo dated Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, Spain's Thiago Alcantara reacts during the Euro 2020 group F qualifying soccer match against Faroe Islands at the Molinon, stadium in Gijon, Spain. Thiago Alcantara is joining Liverpool after ending his seven-year stint at European champion Bayern Munich, it is announced Thursday Sept. 17, 2020. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos, FILE) The Associated Press

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