Liverpool FC’s marquee signing of this summer’s transfer window Thiago Alcantara was pursued by UEFA Champions League runners-up Paris Saint-Germina prior to the Spaniard making the move to Anfield, revealed the 29-year old midfielder’s father in a recent interview to France Football.
Thiago was one of the most in-demand star players this summer, and as reports circulated that he wanted to exit Bayern Munich after last season’s treble-winning heroics, a number of clubs entered the race to sign him, including the likes of Liverpool FC, PSG, and FC Barcelona.
According to the Daily Mail, the Ligue 1 champions failed in their pursuit to land Thiago’s signing, despite the club’s chief Leonardo establishing contact with Thiago’s father, Mazinho, an ex-Brazil international himself, on a personal level as well but the ex-Bayern man had already made up his mind on signing for the Merseyside Reds by then.
‘I had spoken with Leonardo some time ago, but it was for Thiago,’ Mazinho told France Football.
‘Leonardo wanted to sign him for PSG, but Thiago had already made a deal with Liverpool.
‘We then talked about Rafa, but he was not part of Leonardo’s plans at that time. I think he must have thought about it, that he saw the nature of the opportunity and it would be a blow to sign him.
‘When he started talking again, Leonardo had changed his mind. And it all sped up on the last day. It was Monday that we had to work hard to convince both clubs.
PSG then refocused their transfer priorities following a snub from the new Liverpool FC star player, and instead managed to sign Rafinha Alcantara, Thiago’s half-brother, from FC Barcelona in a long-term deal as the transfer window neared its end heading into October.
