Liverpool believe that Alexis Mac Allister is keen to join them as his father weighs up his son’s next move.
Mac Allister is plainly one of the Reds top transfer targets this summer. To that end they’re claimed to have already put forward their offer for the player. And according to Sky Sports, Liverpool have received some ‘encouragement’ from Mac Allister that he’d be willing to move to Anfield.
However, those expecting his arrival on Merseyside may have to put the champagne on ice for now. That’s because the Brighton man’s father and agent, Carlos, is still reportedly ‘listening to all proposals’ from would-be suitors.
Another stumbling block – and perhaps the biggest one – is Brighton’s valuation of their player. Sky claim that the Seagulls are expecting offers ‘well in excess’ of £70m for both Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo.
Caicedo is another said to be on Liverpool’s wish list this summer. But for now, Mac Allister appears to be the more concrete target. The Reds have reportedly been ‘positively pitching’ to the Argentine’s camp.
No matter how positive those talks are though, it’s claimed that ‘much will depend’ on the financial details of any deal. If Brighton hold out for £70m or more, it’s hard to see how Liverpool push on any further.
Brighton stand firm on Mac Allister price
Given Brighton’s history of negotiations, you can’t imagine that they’ll back down here. If they don’t, there’s no way they’ll sell Mac Allister this summer, though.
From their point of view, we’d imagine that that’s absolutely no problem at all. Why wouldn’t they want to keep the man who’s perhaps been their very best player of a brilliant season. Pundit Jamie O’Hara called the 24-year-old ‘fantastic’ and he is clearly a real asset to Roberto De Zerbi.
But the one ace Liverpool might have to play here is how Mac Allister himself feels about all this. Although the World Cup winner seems like a quiet, humble character, it’s also clear that he and his father are expecting to move on from the South Coast this summer.
Should Brighton jeopardise that by slapping an unrealistic price-tag on him, then that’ll be their cross to bear further down the line. Not only in terms of Mac Allister’s own happiness, but it may also put players off from signing for them in the future, too.
It still feels as though there’s plenty of room here to do a deal that suits everyone. But it’s going to take some climbing down on the selling club’s part.
Jurgen Klopp has already insisted that Liverpool won’t be held to ransom in this transfer market. They’ve reportedly got a big list of potential targets and will simply move onto the next one if they feel they’re being ripped off. Fingers crossed that that won’t be the case here and things are resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.