Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick hinted Thiago Alcantara had played his last game for the club following their Champions League final victory, and had a bit of fun while doing so.
Thiago, 29, has one year left on his Bayern contract but is expected to leave this summer.
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The Spain international has been linked with a free transfer to Liverpool, although a Mail on Sunday report claimed that Arsenal have also registered their interest.
In his postmatch news conference, Flick was asked by a reporter: “You had a long chat with Thiago after the ceremony. Was this maybe his last match for Bayern?”
The Bayern coach gave the deadpan reply: “No. He told me he’ll stay.”
Flick then left that answer to silently hang in the air for three seconds as the assembled media contemplated this shock bit of transfer news before, with expert comic timing, broke into a self-satisfied chuckle: “Hahahaha! You should have seen your face.”
Flick went on to explain: “I just thanked him for our time together, just like I did with every other player.
“I don’t know and he doesn’t know yet either [where his future lies], because we all focused on this Champions League final.
“I think we will have to wait what the following days will bring.”