Bayern Munich confirm they will sell Liverpool target Thiago Alcantara

CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says club will have to sell as midfielder wants a new challenge

Thiago Alcantara during the Bundesliga match with Borussia Dortmund. Getty

Thiago Alcantara during the Bundesliga match between Bayern Muenchen and Augsburg in March. Getty

Ross Barkley of Chelsea and Thiago Alcantara of Bayern Munich battle for possession during the Champions League round of 16 first leg in February. Getty

Thiago Alcantara of celebrates. Getty

Thiago Alcantara battles with Marko Grujic of Hertha Berlin. Getty

Thiago Alcantara of Bayern Munich battles for the ball with Nicolas Hoefler of Freiburg. Getty

Thiago Alcantara runs with the ball against Werder Bremen. Getty

Marcus Thuram of Borussia Monchengladbach is challenged by Thiago. Getty

Thiago Alcantara during the Champions League match against Crvena Zvezda. Getty

Thomas Muller of Bayern Munich celebrates with Thiago. Getty

Bayern Munich's Spain midfielder Thiago Alcantara, reportedly a target for Liverpool, will leave the Bundesliga side in the close season because he wants a new challenge.

The 29-year-old, who joined Bayern in 2013 from Barcelona for 25 million euros (Dh103m), has since played 230 games and won seven league titles with the German champions.

"A top man on and off the pitch. We negotiated with him in a serious way and fulfilled all his wishes. But it now seems that he wants to do something new for one more time," the club's CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told Bild.

Thiago's deal with Bayern ends next season and Rummenigge said they had no choice but to sell the player as they did not want to let him go without receiving a transfer fee.

"We do not want to lose any player without any money next year," he said.

Bayern manager Hansi Flick had said earlier on Friday that he hoped Thiago would stay at the Munich club.

Media reports have linked Thiago with a move to Liverpool.