‘He’s a candidate,’ Jurgen Klopp says, describing him as ‘unbelievable.’ Liverpool’s £20 million player could now start against Brentford .

Thiago Alcantara, who is back to full fitness, could start for Liverpool against Leeds United on Monday, according to Jurgen Klopp

The Reds’ manager revealed to the club’s official website that the 31-year-old midfielder is a candidate to start for Liverpool at Elland Road, with the Merseyside club hoping to win their first game in April after not winning since a 7-0 victory against Manchester United.

Thiago’s latest injury has kept the midfielder out for months, but after making his comeback last weekend against Arsenal, the former Bayern Munich star could now be in contention to start for Liverpool against Leeds.

Indeed, Thiago’s return to the starting XI will be crucial for Liverpool’s hopes of getting a result against Leeds, with the Reds currently five points off a European spot and unfancied favourites to finish in the top seven at the end of the season.

“Thiago is a candidate for starting,” Klopp said of Thiago’s potential return to the starting XI. “If we start Luis [Diaz], probably people will tell me, ’30 minutes’ and stuff like that, and then we cannot start him [because] we have to make the first change a bit early.”

Thiago’s inclusion in Liverpool’s starting lineup against Leeds could be game-changing.

Thiago’s return has been hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by Paul Merson, with the midfielder one of Liverpool’s most important players and a talent that is difficult to replace with what Klopp has to choose from in the rest of his squad.

However, the German manager’s suggestion that Thiago could start for Liverpool is huge, and with Leeds looking vulnerable, there’s a good chance that the Spanish star could cause major problems for the Whites, even if the game is played at Elland Road.