Wayne Rooney says he would love to see Thiago Alcantara playing in the Premier League - just not for Manchester United's fierce rivals Liverpool.
Derby County midfielder Rooney almost became teammates with Thiago at United but former manager David Moyes passed on signing him in the summer of 2013.
Instead the Spanish midfielder secured a move to Bayern Munich that summer and has established himself as one of the most exciting players in European football.
The 29-year-old is expected to start the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday night, and ahead of the game Rooney piled the praise on the midfielder.
United great Rooney thinks Thiago is one of the best in his position but is worried by the reports linking him with a move to Liverpool in the summer transfer window.
"He almost came to United in 2013 and now Liverpool are linked with him," Rooney told The Sunday Times. "He’s one of the best midfielders around – I just hope he doesn’t go there!
"He can take the ball, be composed on it, keep things ticking over – and he’ll put his foot in. He’s an all-round midfielder, really, with a bit of everything. He backs up that Bayern press and he drops in between the centre-halves to take the ball yet can also join in when they’re playing around the other box too.
"He’s a great player. It would be great to see him in the Premier League, actually."
