Alexis Mac Allister's Uncertain Liverpool Future
Alexis Mac Allister’s Liverpool future has drifted into that awkward grey zone the club usually tries to avoid.
While Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch move forward with new deals or fresh terms, Mac Allister – a title winner and World Cup midfielder in his prime – waits. Not at Kirkby, not in a boardroom, but across the Atlantic, locked into Argentina’s 2026 World Cup campaign and preparing to face England in a semi-final.
No talks. No rush. No clarity.
A key figure, now a curious case
Liverpool paid £35m to prise Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer of 2023, a fee that already looks shrewd given what followed. Under Arne Slot, the Argentine became one of the pillars of a side that reclaimed the Premier League title in the Dutchman’s first season.
He knitted midfield and attack, set the tempo, and carried the responsibility of a modern No. 8 in a side that wanted the ball and demanded bravery. Then came last season. The energy dropped, the sharpness faded, and his form tailed off just as Liverpool tried to defend their crown.
Even so, his importance to the squad never really came into question. That’s what makes the current situation so striking.
According to BBC Sport, Mac Allister is not in negotiations with Liverpool over a new contract, despite having two years left on his existing deal, which runs to 2028. There is no active dialogue with any other club either. No secret meetings. No advanced talks. Just a holding pattern.
Real Madrid links, no real movement
The links to Real Madrid have become a familiar background noise. His profile fits: technically secure, tactically intelligent, used to high-pressure environments with Argentina and Liverpool. But the story has never progressed beyond that.
No bids. No formal steps. No breakthrough.
For now, those rumours sit where they’ve always sat – as speculation rather than a genuine tug-of-war for his signature.
What makes this more intriguing is the contrast inside Liverpool’s own dressing room. Szoboszlai, whose deal is also due to expire in 2028, is reportedly in talks over improved terms. Gravenberch signed a new contract in May, committing his future after a season of adaptation.
Mac Allister, by comparison, stands still. Same contract. Same expiry date. No movement.
Iraola’s verdict may decide it
Into this walks Andoni Iraola. The new Liverpool head coach inherits a Premier League-winning midfielder who has already shown he can be central to a title push, but also a player whose level dipped sharply last season.
That contrast may be shaping the club’s approach.
Liverpool have rarely been sentimental with contracts in recent years. They have extended when they see a clear long-term fit, sold when value peaks, and allowed some situations to run closer to the wire when they want more evidence.
Mac Allister looks to be in that last category. The sense is Liverpool want to see how he responds under Iraola’s methods before committing to a new long-term package. How does he cope with the demands of the new system? Can he rediscover the authority he showed in Slot’s first campaign? Does he still look like a cornerstone, or more like a valuable asset?
Those answers will shape everything.
Midfield in flux
All of this plays out against a wider midfield reshuffle. Gravenberch is locked in. Szoboszlai is in line for an upgrade. Curtis Jones, by contrast, is facing a very different summer.
Inter Milan have pushed hard, with three bids reportedly rejected by Liverpool. The club’s stance has been firm so far, but repeated offers from a Champions League side underline how attractive Jones is to the market – and how quickly the picture could change if Liverpool’s resolve weakens.
If Jones were to leave and Mac Allister’s future remained unresolved deep into next season, the balance of Liverpool’s midfield could shift rapidly from stable to exposed.
For the moment, though, the club is holding its ground. Mac Allister is expected to remain at Anfield next season, working under Iraola, with no active push to sell and no sign of a contract standoff.
Just a pause. A wait.
The next chapter will not be written in a meeting room but on the pitch – first in a World Cup semi-final, then under new instructions at Anfield. If Mac Allister roars back to his best, the question will not be whether Liverpool offer him a new deal, but how quickly they can get it signed.
