Liverpool haven’t shied away from spending big money over the past couple of years.
Sometimes, their business might even err into the realms of spending stupid money. Yet, ironically, their decision not to put their hand in their pocket recently might be their most stupid mistake yet.
The Reds have invested heavily since winning the Premier League, bringing in the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Bradley Barcola for a combined £400million. They’ve also rewarded good form, tying Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai down to new deals, believed to be worth £300,000-per-week each.
Those two midfielders were signed in the same summer as Alexis Mac Allister as Jurgen Klopp rebuilt his midfield. Mac Allister, at the time, was viewed as the best piece of business. The World Cup winner was signed for a reported £35m from Brighton and Hove Albion and given the No.10 jersey.
Since the move to Anfield, he’s been a bit of everything. Mac Allister has acted as a deep-lying playmaker. He’s been an attacking midfielder. He’s sat in a double pivot and he’s even been a box-crasher. The Argentine was pivotal in the title win of 2024/25 too.
Last year was a disappointing one for the team as well as the player. Mac Allister struggled for form and fitness. With Gravenberch and Szoboszlai getting new deals, the implication was the Argentine would be moved on.
Reports indicated that a parting of ways was on the cards for Mac Allister and Liverpool at the end of the current season with a midfield refresh expected. Lamine Camara was the name most-linked, and Mac Allister confirmed that he hadn’t received a new contract offer in the summer.
Mac Allister hasn’t sulked though. Instead he’s gone about giving new sporting director Julian Ward a massive headache.
In this article, we’ll cover:
A resurgent Mac Allister
Mac Allister scored his fifth goal of the campaign in the 3-1 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday. It was his first in the Premier League though, but it was a big one. It broke the deadlock at Selhurst Park just moments after Alisson had thwarted the hosts.
The 27-year-old had a sighter earlier on in the game, narrowly heading Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner just wide. He then ghosted in to direct a header beyond Dean Henderson and just like that, the Reds had a lead to hold onto.
Mac Allister has made a habit out of scoring important goals this term. In fact, he’s been a deceptively brilliant threat for Liverpool. Against Arsenal last weekend, he arguably had Liverpool’s best chance as he nodded Milos Kerkez’s cross just over the bar.
But the Argentine has been a revelation with and without the ball. He’s found his legs again and is ranked second for distance covered, with Florian Wirtz the only player to surpass him.
More impressively though, Mac Allister the chameleon has performed well alongside multiple midfield partners. He’s tutored Trey Nyoni on the job, been the brain alongside Szoboszlai and done the defensive work when paired with Gravenberch. As a result, he’s second for tackles within this Liverpool behind Jeremy Jacquet.
Mac Allister is outperforming multiple £300k-per-week midfielders.
Iraola’s brain on the pitch
Andoni Iraola has heaped praise on Mac Allister multiple times this season, once saying: “The thing about Mac Allister is that he understands the game overall, not just the demands of his position. It is just what is happening overall in the game.
“Sometimes he is the first one to correct his teammates, not just the one who is next to him. He understands what is happening around him which is a very important quality to have.”
Mac Allister headed into the season as third choice in midfield behind Szoboszlai and Gravenberch. He’s done enough, however, to convince Iraola that he’s the most important midfielder. And Iraola, to his credit, has realised how important the Argentine is in the middle of the pitch.
It’s been mutually beneficial. Mac Allister was used by Arne Slot in advanced areas last season and it exposed him with and without the ball. Iraola has simplified things and he’s reaping the rewards.
The weight on Ward to get this right
Ward is in a difficult situation. He replaced Richard Hughes after the summer transfer window and inherited a bit of a mess. However, he has to address the pressing matters. One of which is the Mac Allister contract situation.
His form warrants a new deal. Is this form sustainable? Is he playing for a new deal? Was last year the outlier or is this year the anomaly?
There are a lot of questions that Ward has to somehow answer before he speaks with Mac Allister and his camp. Another one is whether he wants to give a new, improved deal to a soon-to-be 28-year-old when Liverpool are already paying out huge sums to two midfielders on their books.
Ward played a big role in Mac Allister ending up at Anfield. He has South American contacts which helped him smooth a deal over with Mac Allister senior, Alexis’ agent. So there’s a personal connection there too rather than just a business one.
This could prove to be a costly mistake for the Reds but can they really let someone in this sort of form leave the club when everybody else not named Trey Nyoni is struggling in the middle third?