Pranav Nair
Rio Ferdinand a fan of Thiago Alcantara-the most unique player in the Premier League
Speaking to BT Sport (h/t The Express), Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has revealed his admiration for Liverpool star Thiago Alcantara.
The 29-year-old joined the Merseysiders in the summer after having led Bayern Munich to a treble last season. He has since then shown only fleeting glimpses of why he is held in such high regard.
Despite Thiago’s struggles, Ferdinand remains a fan and believes the Spaniard plays a key role in setting up his team’s attacks.
“I love him. I think he’s a great player. He might not necessarily play that final pass, the pre-assist. He’s the one that plays that ball to get somebody in.”
Ferdinand also believes Thiago is capable of playing different rols in midfield. This versatility can come in handy while adapting to different gameplans.
“I think he’s a player who can play various roles in that midfield.”
Rio’s statements are in line with that of another United hero Michael Owen, who recently described Thiago as the most unique player in the league. While we admire the player’s ability, we are also glad that he hasn’t exactly clicked as expected at Anfield.
Thiago is a player United were linked with before he moved to Liverpool. In fact, we were keen on him since 2013 when he was at Barcelona.
Unfortunately, David Moyes passed on the opportunity and we have had to watch the Spaniard establish himself as a world-class star at Bayern. It is debatable as to how much he could have gone on to achieve at Old Trafford had the transfer gone through.
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United could have done with a player of Thiago’s abilities in midfield. While we are excellent going forward on our day, there is also a sense of predictability regarding our buildup.
Thiago would have helped us bypass opposition defences, adding a new dimension to our offensive ability. Unfortunately, we will now never get to know if that would have been the case.
