THIAGO has been lined up for a shock return to football just hours after retiring.
The former Liverpool midfielder, 33, announced his retirement from professional football on Monday.
It came after his exit from Anfield following the expiry of his contract at the end of June.
Thiago spent four years with the Reds, making 98 appearances despite persistent injury issues.
Just hours after confirming his retirement, though, the Spaniard could be set to return to football.
According to Marca, Thiago has been offered the chance to join Barcelona’s coaching staff under new manager Hansi Flick.
The pair previously worked together during their time at Bayern Munich, where Flick was both assistant boss and manager.
Thiago is said to be keen to work with Flick again but it is uncertain whether he is willing to join his backroom team at present.
The report adds that he is set to take some time away before deciding on his next steps.
Prior to his retirement, Thiago had been linked with a return to the Spanish giants on a free transfer this summer.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
He previously spent eight years with the club after coming through Barca’s fabled academy.
Thiago went on to make 100 first-team appearances before joining Bayern in 2013.
Barcelona – 4x La Liga titles, 2x Spanish Cups, 3x Spanish Super Cup, Champions League, Club World Cup, Uefa Super Cup
Bayern Munich – 7x Bundesliga titles, 4x German Cups, 3x German Super Cup, Champions League, Club World Cup, Uefa Super Cup
Liverpool – FA Cup, League Cup, Community Shield
Spain – U17 Euros, 2x U21 Euros
Following seven years in Germany, he signed for Liverpool in 2020 but has always struggled with injury issues.
Despite that, Thiago won 32 major trophies across his spells with Barca, Bayern and Liverpool.
He also won 46 caps for Spain, scoring twice and appearing at two Euros as well as the 2018 World Cup.
