Former Manchester United and Everton striker Wayne Rooney suggests Liverpool snapping up Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich would rank higher than Manchester City signing Lionel Messi this summer.

Asked to predict who will the Premier League this season, the Derby County forward claims that the two signings could have a massive effect on things, although he insists Thiago would have the greatest impact:

“I do think it is between City and Liverpool. And I think if Liverpool get Thiago from Bayern Munich, I think it [the title] is done. I think that’s a better signing than Messi going to Man City.”

Rooney is clearly a massive fan of Thiago, and it is thought that Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp rates the player equally as highly.  Reports in Germany suggest that the Reds are planning to step up their interest in the Spanish international over the next week.

The 29-year-old is expected to leave Bayern this summer after seven years in Germany but the Bundesliga club are said to be demanding €30m (£27m) for the player.

Liverpool will likely try and lower Bayern’s demands, considering Thiago has less than twelve months left on his current deal and can sign a pre-contract agreement in January.