"Those players are hard to come by" - Glen Johnson believes star leaving Liverpool is a player 'every top team needs'

Former Liverpool right-back Glen Johnson has that a fit Thiago Alcantara is an asset for any team. The Spaniard endured an injury-ravaged stint at Anfield before leaving this summer.

Alcantara, 33, played only 98 times across competitions for the Reds since arriving on a free transfer in the summer of 2020, contributing three goals and six assists. He played only three times this season, missing nearly the entire campaign due to a plethora of players.

However, acknowledging the quality of Alcantara, Johnson told Squawka (via HITC):

“If you’ve got a fit Thiago, every team misses that, and those players are hard to come by. But, sadly for him, he couldn’t stay fit and then couldn’t get game time and couldn’t have an effect on the team, or help the team at all. But, in terms of a fit Thiago, that’s what every team needs, or every top team anyway.”

Despite being available only intermittently, Alcantara ended his Anfield stint with three titles: the League Cup, the Super Cup and the FA Cup.

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How Liverpool fared in the 2023-24 season

Liverpool FC

Liverpool had a decent season - their last one under their legendary manager Jurgen Klopp - who left at the end of the campaign. Although they won the EFL Cup, the Reds were in contention for an unprecedented quadruple.

They led the Premier League for a few weeks - with an absorbing three-horse title race building up - before losing steam and finishing third, nine points behind champions Manchester City. The Cityzens created history by becoming the first team to do the Premier League four-peat.

Jurgen Klopp's side beat Chelsea 1-0 in extra time to win the EFL Cup but fell 4-3 at Manchester United after extra time in the FA Cup quarterfinals. They couldn't cross the last-eight hurdle in the UEFA Europa League as well, losing to eventual winners Atalanta.

A damaging 3-0 first-leg home defeat would prove to be their undoing, as they could only manage a 1-0 win on the road in the return, which wasn't enough to overcome the deficit.