Liverpool have their new Thiago, it's official.
There was a time when we all just wanted to see him on the pitch. Thiago in his prime was the kind of player who turned football into art.
He played the game with so much ease and poise. He made things look easy on the pitch. He was a true master of the football.
It's just a shame his career at Liverpool was so hampered by injuries. Because when he was on the pitch and pulling the strings, there really wasn't anyone quite like him.
Thiago now sets the ultimate example of what a Liverpool midfielder should be. The bar is extremely high and it's very difficult to live up to it.
But there are a few who can.
Liverpool's major midfield concern
When Curtis Jones left the club for pastures new, there was an expectation that he was going to be replaced. Even Andoni Iraola will have expected more reinforcements.
The supporters definitely did.
And yet, they didn't get what they wanted. Jones, who had played a considerable amount of minutes and who is quite versatile in the sense he can play multiple midfield roles, was allowed to join Inter Milan without a replacement being lined-up.
Earlier on in the summer Liverpool also entertained the idea of selling Alexis Mac Allister but thankfully that plan never came to fruition. Mac Allister is now one of Liverpool's very few available midfielders who is actually in form.
Ryan Gravenberch is currently suspended and Dominik Szoboszlai also missed a couple of games after the international break.
It's official, Liverpool's new Thiago is Trey Nyoni
But Jones' departure has also led to the emergence of Nyoni, who has become a sensation since he established himself in the first-team.
Unlike Arne Slot, Iraola seems to have taken a real liking to Nyoni and it's easy to see why.
The English youngster plays the game in a very intelligent way. He oozes quality on the ball and he is capable of making inch-perfect passes.
In a lot of ways, he is very similar to Thiago. The way he plays makes him the first player of the same ilk as the Spaniard to have played for the Reds since Thiago left.
It's why, Nyoni is very much the Reds' new Thiago.
But don't just take our word for it. Nyoni made it official himself.
