Liverpool midfielder Thiago could be set to leave the club in the summer transfer window, with a return to Barcelona a "concrete possibility", according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri.

What does Thiago earn per week?

The £200,000-a-week Spaniard moved to Anfield in the summer of 2020, arriving as a hugely eye-catching signing, given the success he had achieved with Barca and Bayern Munich beforehand.

While there have been moments of magic and trophies won along the way over the past three years, Thiago's time on Merseyside has also been frustrating, with injuries too often keeping him sidelined throughout seasons. Last term, for example, he only started 14 of the Reds' 38 Premier League matches, and his absence played a part in Liverpool's major struggles in the middle of the park.

The 32-year-old is now into the final year of his current deal at Anfield, meaning he will be able to exit for free in 2024, unless he is sold this summer, in order to receive a fee. With big doubts surrounding the futures of both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, and with Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain already moving in, it could be a huge summer of change in Liverpool's midfield.

A new update suggests that Thiago leaving this summer now feels very possible, with a reunion with a former club potentially on the cards.

Could Thiago leave Liverpool?

Taking to Twitter, Tavolieri claimed that Thiago could seal a return to Barcelona during the current transfer window, in what could be another midfield exit at Liverpool:

"Sources inside Liverpool feels Thiago Alcantara leaving to Barcelona this summer has a concrete possibility. Nothing has been done yet but I understand it’s the main option for the Spanish who would be more than keen to come back at Barca & playing under Xavi, his mentor. Things will move."

There is no question that Thiago's Liverpool career has been hit-and-miss overall, but that is mostly to do with injuries, rather than his performances, even though he didn't always cover himself in glory last season. When fit, the veteran has invariably looked like one of the best players on the pitch, averaging 2.4 tackles in the Premier League last season, as well as completing 86.4% of his passes.

That being said, there is a temptation to cash in on him this summer, with his lack of availability a constant problem, and something that helps nobody. There is an argument to say that selling him on top of all the other midfield departure is overkill – a ready-made replacement would simply have to be lined up – but if Barca or another club come in with an offer that is too good to refuse, Liverpool will surely consider accepting it.

Thiago has been labelled a "sensational" footballer by Jurgen Klopp, and if the manager was told now that he would be available for every game next season, he could see him as a vital player for the Reds. That feels extremely unlikely, though, which is why the idea of him heading back to Barca does make an element of sense in the coming weeks.