By Wayne Veysey

3rd Nov, 2023 | 1:00pm

Sources: Thiago Alcantara to leave Liverpool as a free agent

Thiago Alcantara is expected to leave Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of the season, sources have told Football Insider.

The midfielder has been sidelined through injury since April and has been hit with several setbacks during his rehabilitation.

He will be 33 at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, and Liverpool have no plans to offer him an extension.

Thiago was widely linked with a summer move to Saudi Arabia, but it is believed manager Jurgen Klopp wanted to keep him at the club.

The Spain international’s injury issues make a potential January move unlikely – while Klopp remains keen to keep him until June 2024 as he is seen as a first-choice midfielder when fit.

Thiago last featured for Liverpool as a substitute as the Merseysiders beat West Ham 2-1 on 26 April.

Shortly after that outing, he underwent surgery to correct a long-standing hip injury but remains on the sidelines seven months later.

And Klopp has recently confirmed (3 November) that Thiago will be out until the new year as he recovers.

The ex-Bayern Munich man, who earns a reported £200,000-a-week at Anfield, joined Liverpool in 2020 but has made just 97 appearances for the club.

Klopp’s side underwent a significant midfield overhaul during the most recent summer window – with Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai all arriving on Merseyside.

Liverpool sit fourth in the Premier League after beating Nottingham Forest 3-0 last time out (28 October).

The Reds are next in action against Luton on Sunday (5 November).

In other news, Liverpool set sights on signing Ajax sensation.