Liverpool have completed the signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion after triggering his release clause.
The midfielder joins on a five-year deal to become the first signing of what is expected to be a major summer at Anfield. The fee is undisclosed although it is thought to be between £35m and £45m.
As the ECHO reported last month, Mac Allister was earmarked as Jurgen Klopp's primary transfer target this summer as the Reds look to rebuild their midfield ranks following the departures of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as free agents and Arthur Melo, who has returned to Juventus after his loan spell.
In what was a historic campaign for the 24-year-old last term, Mac Allister helped Argentina win their first World Cup since 1986 in Qatar back in December before his performances inspired Brighton to their highest finish in the Premier League in sixth.
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The Seagulls' No.10 finished the term as their top scorer with 10 goals to help them qualify for the Europa League for the first time in their history.
Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi conceded after the Premier League had finished on May 28 that Mac Allister was set for pastures new, admitting: "I think that can be the last game of Alexis and Moises (Caicedo), I'm really sorry.
"They are two great people and two great players. The policy of Brighton is like this. I think it's right they can leave, can change teams and play in a level higher. We are ready. We have to find other big players to play without Alexis and Moises.
“If you ask me about Caicedo and Mac Allister, I love them and they are two big, big players and can play in a big European team. They can play in every competition. I hope for them they can play [for the] best team in the world, because we’ll be the first big fan of them.”
Liverpool moved quickly following the end of the term to secure Mac Allister to a long-term deal for the peak years of his career.
Senior figures within the recruitment set-up at Anfield were made aware of a release clause that had been inserted into Mac Allister's latest Brighton deal, signed in October, and having taken the decision to step away from a pursuit of the Real Madrid-bound Jude Bellingham earlier this year, the Albion star jumped to the top of the shortlist for their summer business.
The ECHO understands Mac Allister was earmarked as a key target prior to the World Cup when the Albiceleste international played a major role alongside Lionel Messi in helping his nation become world champions in the Middle East.
Mac Allister, who spent parts of last week in Miami on an end-of-season holiday, was given permission for his Reds medical on Tuesday and with personal terms also agreed, the club have now confirmed the capture of the South American.
Liverpool were keen to secure the deal before the international fixtures later this month and Mac Allister will now head off with Argentina as they meet Australia in Beijing, China on June 15 before a match with Indonesia in Jakarta four days later.
The transfer will be viewed as a significant coup for the Reds as they target a return to the Champions League places next season and attention will now turn elsewhere as Klopp and newly-appointed sporting director Jorg Schmadtke continue looking to replenish a squad that dropped to their lowest finish since 2016 last season.
Reports in France last week linked the Reds to Nice's France international Khephren Thuram, while Borussia Monchengladbach's Manu Kone was also named in connection following Schmadtke's appointment at the start of the month. Southampton teenager Romeo Lavia and Wolves' Portugal international Matheus Nunes also have their admirers, while Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch is another who is of interest.
Mason Mount had been a target but the Chelsea midfielder looks close to agreeing a Manchester United switch, while interest in his Stamford Bridge colleague Conor Gallagher has cooled.
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