Nearly five years after leaving Barcelona, Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara is reportedly still on the radar of the Catalan giants.
The 27-year-old has gone on to rack up nearly 150 appearances for the Bavarian giants, winning five Bundesliga titles amongst other trophies and earning 25 caps for Spain.
SEE MORE: ‘I won’t go to war with club’ – Barcelona ace admits to frustration, but will remain patient
In turn, it could be argued that his decision to leave the Nou Camp was a sensible one, as he would undoubtedly have faced significant competition for places at Barcelona with the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets holding important roles at the time of his exit.
According to Mundo Deportivo, after flirting with the idea of returning to the La Liga champions last summer following talks, a return is still being touted even now but it’s suggested that he would cost around €50m-€60m if they did make a move for him.
With the likes of Busquets, Ivan Rakitic and Paulinho closing in on turning 30 and Iniesta’s exit at the end of the season, as noted by BBC Sport, it could be an opportune time for Thiago to return if both parties are open to the idea.
However, his touted price-tag coupled with the potential arrival of Arthur Melo, it’s suggested by Mundo Deportivo that Barcelona won’t pursue the move and are likely to snub the idea of a reunion with the midfield ace in the near future.
Having won a domestic double this season, coach Ernesto Valverde will arguably be keen to avoid upsetting the balance in his side too much as it has proven to be a successful formula.
Their Champions League exit to Roma was undoubtedly the big red mark against their campaign, and so it remains to be seen if reinforcements are brought in to bolster their squad further to compete on various fronts. Based on this report, Thiago is unlikely to be considered as a possible solution.