Alexis Mac Allister could be a big summer transfer arrival at Anfield, with the Brighton midfielder being linked to Liverpool as part of their expected pursuit of midfield reinforcements.
Liverpool are expected to overhaul their midfield this summer, with James Milner, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and Naby Keita all leaving the club upon the expiry of their contracts. However, with the club set to miss out on Champions League qualification it could be harder to attract bigger name targets such as Declan Rice or Jude Bellingham.
Reports in Argentina suggest that a deal has been agreed for Mac Allister to join the Reds this summer in a £60million move. Talks are believed to be ongoing, with a potential £100,000 per week contract being discussed as per Argentine publication La Nacion, while fellow Spanish language outlet TyC are reporting that a deal is done.
The Athletic report that Mac Allister is a top target for Liverpool, but without confirming that a deal is in place. Brighton CEO Paul Barber also did not reveal any developments during an interview with TalkSPORT on Tuesday.
When asked if Mac Allister was expected to leave, the Brighton chief said: “I saw him down on the pitch looking very happy and obviously we want him to be here next season.”.
“Obviously we know there’s going to be a lot of clubs, not just in this country, but around Europe and around the world, that are going to be wanting him to play for them. But, at the moment he’s wearing blue and white stripes and I’m delighted about that.
Barber added: “If I lost sleep over every report that I read about one of our players doing that then I wouldn’t be sleeping very much at all. At the moment, he’s focused on doing what he can for us during his final two games.”
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Mac Allister has seen his star rise dramatically in the past 18 months, with his crucial role in Argentina's World Cup win drawing attention to his talents. Brighton's brilliant season has also crated interested in many of their players, with Moises Caicedo also linked to the Reds.
Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi is a man in demand himself, but appears to be preparing for the future on the south coast, with comments regarding potential departures not mentioning Mac Allister. Following Brighton's final home match of the season on Sunday, the Italian spoke about potential departures.
De Zerbi told Sky Sports: "For sure we will lose some players, maybe Caicedo and Mac Allister. We have to be ready to bring in more good players and for the others; Mitoma, Estupinan, I think for them the best solution is to stay with us.
"I don’t know if they are ready to play in the big teams. You have to arrive ready in the head. We can offer them the possibility to progress and to improve."
