Home SPORTS ‘Thiago & Bale difference between champions & also-rans’ – Collymore compares Liverpool & Spurs business

‘Thiago & Bale difference between champions & also-rans’ – Collymore compares Liverpool & Spurs business

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The former Reds striker believes Jurgen Klopp has landed the “perfect” addition to his ranks while Jose Mourinho has made an “emotional” signing

Liverpool’s deal for Thiago Alcantara and Tottenham’s re-signing of Gareth Bale show the difference between champions and “also-rans”, claims former Reds striker Stan Collymore.

Jurgen Klopp has, after taking in a relatively quiet summer transfer window, stepped up his recruitment business of late.

Spain international midfielder Thiago has been snapped up from Bayern Munich, in what is considered to be quite a coup, while Portuguese forward Diogo Jota has been prised from Wolves in a £41 million ($52m) deal.

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Other notable moves had been made by others, with Wales international Bale back in the Premier League after seven years at Real Madrid.

Collymore believes title holders Liverpool are showing the rest how recruitment should be carried out, with the likes of Manchester United struggling to bolster their ranks while Chelsea are waiting on new additions to find their feet and Spurs are letting heart rule their head.

“The signings of Thiago Alcantara by Liverpool and Gareth Bale by Tottenham in the space of 24 hours last week proved one thing. That champions do things one way and those looking in do them another,” ex-Liverpool frontman Collymore told The Mirror.

“Thiago had no relationship whatsoever with Liverpool before they decided to sign him. It was just a case of Jurgen Klopp looking at his squad, looking at Thiago and saying, ‘He has what we’re missing, let’s get him in’.

“That’s completely at odds with Spurs’ move for Bale, who has only been brought back because he used to play for them.

“Yes, Bale is world class when he’s on the top of his game.

“But he only managed 20 appearances for Real Madrid last season and how many 31 year olds, however good they are or have been, will be on the radars of current or wannabe champions when they’ve barely played for a year?

“That’s why it’s a purely emotional move and one that could work but only with a fair wind. Champions don’t deal with fair winds, though, only also-rans do that.”

Collymore added on Liverpool’s capture of Thiago, with the 29-year-old snapped up on the back of a treble-winning triumph at Bayern in 2019-20: “There was never any chat of him going elsewhere, the deal just fell completely into place.

“When things aren’t going your way, potential deals come with strings attached, the agent is pimping the player out to six or seven clubs, the price keeps getting higher and, when he walks through the door, there’s a bit of an attitude as well.

“Yet there doesn’t seem to be any arrogance with Thiago, he seems quite a humble guy and he will fit in alongside Virgil van Dijk, Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Co with ease.

“His move to Liverpool is perfect for the player and the club.”

Thiago put in an eye-catching performance off the bench on his debut for Liverpool, with the record books already being re-written by a player who has slotted seamlessly into the fold at Anfield.

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