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Why Thiago Alcantara 'cried for five minutes' before sealing £25m Liverpool transfer
Liverpool completed the signing of Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich on Friday.
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Thiago Alcantara was in high spirits after signing a long-term contract with Liverpool, but that wasn't before he bid an emotional farewell to Bayern Munich. Liverpool seemed to be the only destination for Thiago throughout the summer after it became clear he wasn't going to sign an extension at Bayern.
Liverpool registered their interest back in June, but they had to be patient in negotiations.
Eventually, the Premier League champions agreed terms with Bayern which will see Liverpool pay just £5million up front, with the remaining £15m paid in instalments.
The 29-year-old immediately adds even more championship pedigree to Liverpool's squad.
Thiago has won nine league titles in the last 10 seasons, spanning back to his spell at Barcelona.
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He also played a key role in helping Bayern win the treble last season, culminating in a stellar performance in the Champions League final triumph over Paris Saint-Germain.
Jurgen Klopp will undoubtedly be hoping the midfielder can have a similar impact when he gets up and running at Anfield.
While Thiago's intentions to join Liverpool were clear early this summer, it doesn't seem it was such an easy decision for him to make,
He spent seven years at the Allianz Arena, establishing himself as a club legend.
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And Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has opened up on how an emotional Thiago said his final goodbye to the Bundesliga giants.
"Regarding Thiago, I would like perhaps to add this story," he told Sky Germany.
"So on Thursday the transfer, which Hasan [Salihamidzic] agreed with the people in Liverpool, has been granted.
"When I arrived, I would say, 10 minutes later in the parking garage, I brought my car, he was standing at the spot where I always park.
"I thought to myself, what's he doing here? 'Thiago' I said.
"He came up to me and cried in my arms for five minutes."
"[He] cried for five minutes and said simply, 'thank you very much for allowing this'.
"This is a great human being and was always a first class player for Bayern Munchen and I was tremendously happy for him in Lisbon because he's always been questioned because he supposedly in the big games isn't capable of bringing the big performance and now I think in Lisbon the entire three-game tournament he proved what quality he has.
"That he's now leaving us is a big loss, quality wise on the pitch, but just also as a human being.
"And despite that we respected that he wanted to do something new."