Injury after injury: The highs and lows of Thiago at Liverpool

All signs point towards Thiago departing Liverpool this summer, with the Spaniard's contract expiring on June 30th. He is one of the most talented players Liverpool has had in the Jurgen Klopp era. Still, he will leave with many fans who are not overly emotional about his departure due to significant missed time from injuries. It's time to reminisce about the good, the bad, and the ugly of Thiago at Liverpool.

High: The entire 2021/2022 Premier League season

Thiago was at his best during the 2021/2022 season, even if he did deal with multiple injuries and went through COVID. It's easy to speak in hypotheticals but if the Spanish midfielder was healthy that season, Liverpool very well could have won the league title, having finished just a single point behind Manchester City in the end.

Often linking in the midfield with Henderson and Fabinho, Thiago's role allowed for the ball to properly progress from the backline to the forwards in the attack. His passing has always been his strongest area of play and this was seen his season the most, given it the was season with his most Premier League matches played (25).

The midfield wizard earned a spot in the PFA's Premier League Team of the Season for the 2021/2022 campaign despite only having 17 starts in the league, showcasing both his bad case of injuries and just how important he was to Liverpool.

High: That Porto goal in the Champions League

Also in the 2021/2022 season, but this time in Champions League action, Thiago showed how beautiful his technique is. In a group stage match at Anfield against FC Porto, minutes into the second half, Thiago would score a stunner. The ball bounced out to the Spanish midfielder, who was yards outside of the penalty area. Thiago could have not hit the ball more perfectly, as the ball soared just above the grass as it curled into the bottom corner of the net.

High: Peformance against Manchester United in April 2022

He did not score or assist in the game, but Thiago was arguably the best player against Manchester United on April 19, 2022, as the Reds stomped the Red Devils 4-0 at Anfield. Thiago left the game with a 96% passing rate, six out of six accurate long balls, 12 passes into the final third and a 100% dribble success rate.

It was undoubtedly Thiago's best performance in a Liverpool shirt, and it was memorable, given the scoreline and the opponent.

Lows: Injured again... and again...

According to Transfermarkt, Thiago has missed 128 games for club and country due to injury or fitness issues since he switched to Liverpool. Thiago was an afterthought last season, with just 18 games played, but a Liverpool fan would be excused if they thought he was no longer at the club after this season.

He played just five minutes this season against Arsenal in February. Thiago had already been out for 8+ months with a hip issue and swiftly ended back up on the injured list after that lone appearance. For all of his qualities, it is quite fitting that his last minutes for Liverpool were him returning from an injury and promptly getting injured in that game.

It is hard to say where Thiago may land next. First, he needs to get healthy again before signing as a free agent to a new club becomes an option. Returning to his native Spain at 33 years old certainly will not be off the table, as he considers his health and family.