Thiago signed a long-term deal to join the Premier League champions from Bayern Munich last month, further bolstering Jürgen Klopp’s midfield options with his wealth of experience in the Bundesliga and previously at Barcelona.
Wijnaldum has long observed and admired the Spain international from afar, then played directly against him in the Champions League in 2018-19, and is now delighted to call him a teammate.
And as he outlined the qualities Thiago can bring to the Reds, Wijnaldum explained his belief that the new No.6 is a precise stylistic fit for the club.
“Everything impressed me,” he told Liverpoolfc.com. “I saw him play for years now, I played against him when we played against Bayern, and the awareness he has on the pitch, the confidence he has on the ball and the way he manages to let the team play is unbelievable.
“He’s such a quality player that is going to make this team even better than we were before. So, I’m really happy, everyone is really happy, to have him here. He’s also happy to be here.
“I think it’s a perfect match: Liverpool and Thiago.”
Thiago was the second of four new arrivals to Klopp’s squad for the 2020-21 campaign, with Greece left-back Kostas Tsimikas, Portugal forward Diogo Jota and 17-year-old goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga also recruited.
Wijnaldum expects the added ability and personality provided by the new signings to be particularly beneficial over the course of a demanding season.
“Brilliant, class – class players,” said the Dutchman. “They already showed at their previous clubs that they are really good players and we are really happy to have them here, because they make the squad better.
“With them, we have a bigger squad; I think you need that during a season.
“But the most important thing is that they are quality players and that makes the team even better than we were before. I’m really happy with the signings. They are also good personalities, good people – they totally fit into the team we have.”