Former Liverpool youth star Gerardo Bruna, once dubbed the ‘next Lionel Messi’, is better placed than most to judge ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich man Thiago Alcantara.
Thiago has only played 45 minutes for Liverpool so far since arriving from the Bundesliga, but he has already made a significant impression.
Bruna played alongside Thiago while coming through Spain’s youth system as a Real Madrid player, and signed for Liverpool at the age of 16.
Speaking exclusively to the ECHO on a special Blood Red podcast, Bruna said: "The first time I was playing with Thiago we were about 13 or 14 I think.
"He was living in Galicia at the time in the north-west of Spain, and he didn’t play for Barcelona at the time - he was playing for a club in a small town.
Listen to the full podcast with Gerardo Bruna by clicking HERE
"You couldn’t tell that he was going to be one of the best players [in the world] but he was a very, very good player! Since then, you could see already what a great player he was.
"We played against each other in Barca-Madrid but the first time that we actually met was in the national team and it is a long time ago.
"Now he plays deeper as a playmaker, but at the time he was an attacking midfielder and he was dribbling a lot more and you can see how good he is at dribbling with the ball and how technical he is.
"Now he is complete - you can see him tackling, you can see him making the team play and setting the pace of the team, and his awareness.
"He has become a complete midfielder and before he was more offensive. Now is more complete and he is doing so well."
Thiago was a young player with plenty of hype coming though the system, like Bruna. Bruna’s comparison to Messi came from the fact that he was born in Argentina, though he grew up in the Canary Islands.
Thiago’s Barcelona youth days made comparisons to Andres Iniesta and Xavi equally inevitable, even if they were at least players who operated in the same position.
But Bruna believes Thiago has lived up to that high-profile billing, adding: "He just won the Champions League! The press called him the ‘next Xavi’ or the ‘next Iniesta’ or whatever, but they are different players.
"He is himself and I see him as very different to them, but has he reached that level? They are legends in one club, and he has been changing, but yes, I think he probably is at that level to be honest.
"I think that he is in his prime now and he can give his best three years of his football life. Things have changed - players can play at 35 or 36 now. For example, Thiago Silva is 36 and he wants to play in the World Cup when he will be 38!
"I think that players look after themselves better with the diets and technology for recovery. I think 29 is still young and I’m pretty sure that he feels the same!"
Thiago is currently isolating having tested positive for COVID-19 but the Spaniard hopes to be back in time to play in his first Merseyside derby.
Signed on a four-year deal, and like his former teammate Bruna says, with his best years perhaps ahead of him, Thiago and Liverpool will be hoping it is the first of many.
