Didi Hamann slammed Thiago and Liverpool performance this season

Thiago Alcantara

Didi Hamann is a German professional football coach, former player and media personality. Throughout his career, he has played for Bayern Munich, Newcastle United, Liverpool and Manchester City primarily in a defensive midfield position. In his own words he said:

‘I’ve NEVER been a fan of him’: Didi Hamann AGAIN beats Thiago Alcantara before claiming Liverpool are ‘not good enough’ to have midfield star in the squad amid drop current form.”

Didi Hamann has slammed Thiago Alcantara again, saying Liverpool aren’t good enough to have the midfielder in the squad at the moment.

The Reds signed Thiago from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2020 for an initial fee of £20m – plus £5m for potential add-ons.

The Spaniard is currently injured and struggled in 2022-23 after missing six games earlier in the season with a hamstring problem.

But the 49-year-old former Liverpool midfielder has urged Jurgen Klopp not to recall the 31-year-old if he returns from injury.

“Thiago, I was never a fan of him,” Hamman told talkSPORT. “I don’t think Liverpool are good enough to have a Thiago in their squad at the moment.”

“In my opinion the Reds need to modernize the squad a bit, especially in midfield,” Hamann said in his column for Sky Sport Germany.

“I don’t understand the hype around Thiago. For me he is one of the most overrated players in European football.

“When things go well and you have a lot of possession, he’s a good player, but when it comes to the point, you don’t see it.”

He also told talkSPORT that Thiago is not playing like Liverpool are playing.

Hamann said: “He’s slowing things down and he’s not playing like Liverpool are playing.”

“Liverpool have had hardworking midfielders in the past, they weren’t as skilled as Thiago, but they gave [Sadio] Mane and [Mohamed] Salah the ball early. “And the other thing is, as other people have said before, he plays a different style of football. He likes to possess.

“Liverpool have always been good when they weren’t in possession, they won and they played fast forward.”

Midway through the 2020-21 season, Hamann tweeted: “Liverpool have had a lot of possession for quite some time and have always found a way to destroy the defence.

“The dynamics of the team will change with Thiago in the team. I don’t think for the better. “He’s at his best when the team has long spells of possession, everything Liverpool have been in recent years isn’t.”

Thiago’s injury comes amid a midfield crisis for a struggling 8th-placed Liverpool side in the Premier League.

Klopp’s Liverpool travel to London on Saturday to take on Crystal Palace – the game starts at 7.45pm.