Having seen midfield colleagues Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch pen new deals at Liverpool, Alexis Mac Allister claimed he was “very sad” not to have been offered an extension himself over the summer.
To his credit, the Argentine hasn’t necessarily let that talk affect his performances, since rifling in two stunning strikes against Atletico Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League and Carabao Cup, respectively.
Perhaps the summer snub has done its job to fuel the World Cup winner, the 27-year-old having arguably been one of many to endure a dip over the last 12 months or so.
The question now is as to whether he can kick on again under Andoni Iraola‘s watch, or whether the playmaker is merely heading toward an inevitable exit sooner rather than later.
Will Mac Allister sign a new contract at Liverpool?
It’s fair to say that incoming sporting director, Julian Ward, is likely to have plenty in his Liverpool in-tray when that deal is officially confirmed, having inherited a complex situation from Richard Hughes.
For all the lavish spending over the past year or so, this is still a relatively unbalanced, mish-mash squad, one that could be depleted even further by a string of departures next summer.
The likes of Joe Gomez, Wataru Endo, Kostas Tsimikas, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson are all currently set to be out of contract in June, with key decisions to be made regarding that latter duo, in particular.
Mac Allister, meanwhile, is among those who only have two years left to run on their deal, alongside Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott, the former Brighton and Hove Albion man having not penned fresh terms since signing back in 2023.
By his own admission, Liverpool’s number ten had “options to leave” during the recent summer window, with there having long been talk regarding a move to Real Madrid.
The Reds have lost a string of free agents in recent times, notably seeing both Ibrahima Konate and Trent Alexander-Arnold depart for the Bernabeu, with it not out of the question that Mac Allister also runs down his contract.
Having outlined his frustration so publicly, however, it does feel as if a decision will need to be made sooner rather than later, with the fact that Liverpool haven’t offered an extension as yet perhaps saying it all.
Indeed, FSG do already appear to be lining up potential midfield replacements.
How Liverpool could replace Mac Allister in 2027
The signing of Jeremy Jacquet has eased Liverpool’s concerns at centre-back, with the priority heading into 2027 likely to be to reinforce at full-back and in central midfield.
|
Player |
Previous Club |
Fee |
|---|---|---|
|
Bradley Barcola |
PSG |
£123m |
|
Jeremy Jacquet |
Rennes |
£60m |
|
Victor Munoz |
Osasuna |
£34.5m |
|
Lucca Brughmans |
Genk |
£30m |
|
Ifeanyi Ndukwe |
Austria Wien |
£2.6m |
|
Ronald Araújo |
Barcelona |
Loan |
Reports this week have suggested that FSG may look to raid Crystal Palace in January for the signing of Tyrick Mitchell, the experienced left-back set to provide competition for Milos Kerkez on that flank.
As for the midfield search, talks have already been held with Monaco’s Lamine Camara, although the Senegalese star isn’t the only option on the agenda, it would seem.
According to TEAMtalk, Iraola and co are also among the clubs lining up a move for Lyon starlet, Tyler Morton, the 23-year-old attracting interest from as many as seven Premier League outfits.
The Englishman was, of course, previously on the books at Anfield, prior to being sold for a fee of around £15m last summer, although the club have been keeping a close eye on his progress.
New boss Iraola is also said to be an ‘admirer’, although it is yet to be seen if the Reds will firm up their interest by making an official offer, with a range of midfield targets on the table.
If a deal for Morton were to be pursued, it would certainly have its merits, and not just because of his prior association with the Merseysiders.
The young Englishman has been a real success story in France so far, starting 29 Ligue 1 games last term, while also racking up more minutes than any of his teammates so far in 2026/27.
A deep-lying midfielder by trade, Morton did still chip in with four goals and assists in the French top-flight last season, while averaging one key pass per game and boasting an 88% pass accuracy rate.
That record isn’t too dissimilar to what Mac Allister recorded in the Premier League across 2025/26, the South American scoring and assisting six goals, averaging one key pass per game and recording an 87% pass accuracy rate.
Morton did appear to have the edge out of possession, however, bettering his former teammate in terms of tackles and interceptions per game (2.5 v 2.0), as well as ball recoveries (4.4 v 3.0) made per game. Equally too, while Mac Allister was dribbled past 1.1 times per game, the younger man’s average was just 0.4 in that regard.
It’s clear to see what an all-rounder Morton is, with it a testament to his quality and bravery that he has made a success of it out in France so swiftly.
Formerly a figure at England youth level too, he was lauded by Joe Hart while playing for the U21s for his “Steven Gerrard-esque” passing range, a comparison that will only have tongues wagging back at Anfield.
Perhaps letting him go on the cheap might have been a mistake, yet bringing Morton back as a potential replacement for Mac Allister could prove a masterstroke.
