Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves this summer and the Portuguese maestro could be the ideal heir to Thiago at Anfield.
Could Liverpool sign Neves?
According to Football Insider, the Reds have a concrete interest in signing the 26-year-old, who could be on his way out of Molineux this summer after expressing a desire to play in the Champions League.
Although Jurgen Klopp's side won't be able to offer that next season, they have been a consistent force in Europe's top competition in recent years, winning it against Spurs in 2019 before falling short in the final against Real Madrid in 2022.
Barcelona are touted as the current front runners for Neves but want a player-exchange deal, while the Old Gold are holding out for a cash-only sale, with previous reports suggesting that £45m could be enough to prise him away from Molineux.
Klopp is clearly desperate for midfield additions at Liverpool, especially with Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner all departing the club on a free transfer this summer.
However, Neves could potentially arrive as a replacement for Spanish magician Thiago, after his injury problems meant that he would make just 18 appearances in the top flight this season, while he also turned 32 next month, so he cannot be considered a long-term option at Anfield.
Would Neves be a good Thiago heir?
Neves has made a name for himself in both the Championship and Premier League with Wolves having joined the Midlands club in 2017, going on to make 252 appearances, contributing 30 goals and 13 assists in that time.
The Portugal international excels at sitting deep and dictating the play in a similar vein to Thiago, with WhoScored suggesting that his biggest strengths are his passing, long shots, concentration and ball interception skills.
No player in Liverpool's squad has made more long passes per game (5.2) than the former Bayern Munich man but Neves averages a whopping 6.2 per game which suggests that he could easily set the tempo in Liverpool's midfield next season.
Despite Wolves' struggles in the league this campaign which saw them bottom at Christmas before distancing themselves from the relegation battle, Neves has enjoyed a fine campaign, contributing six goals and one assist in 34 Premier League appearances with a strong 6.99 average rating from WhoScored.
Teammate Hugo Bueno was full of praise for his "incredible" captain earlier in the campaign and it would certainly be a big loss for Wolves to lose such an influential player, but their loss could be Liverpool's gain this summer.
Neves' experience, age and passing ability mark him out as the ideal man to take over from Thiago at Anfield in the long term, and Klopp should definitely be looking to bring him in.