Carragher says Liverpool have got a ‘super talent’ who can really help them next season

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Jamie Carragher believes Alexis Mac Allister’s versatility will really help Liverpool next season.

Mac Allister became the Reds’ first signing of the summer on Thursday, joining them less than two weeks after the end of the campaign. It’s a move that has been met with excitement by supporters, and speaking to Sky Sports, Carragher suggested he understood why.

“Well, he is certainly a good player,” said the Liverpool legend. “Whether he ends up being a good signing as well we will see when the season starts. It looks like he can play every position in midfield, which will help Liverpool, but he looks a super talent.”

Carragher did air a word of caution in regards to the Argentina international, though.

“Brighton are a brilliant team, the only thing I would say is a lot of players have come out of Brighton and not replicated the Brighton form in other teams,” he said. “So is that because they are part of a special system at Brighton? [Roberto] De Zerbi has been fantastic this season, so that will be interesting to see.

“But it is a great signing, especially when considering the price as well – £35m is a steal for a World Cup winner, someone who has got Premier League experience and is only 24.”

Mac Allister rides to Liverpool’s rescue

Mac Allister’s ability to play in a number of different positions is definitely something which attracted Liverpool to him.

Right now, they are pretty much in need of upgrades across the whole of the middle of the pitch. As a result, why not get someone in who can do a job wherever you ask him to?

Last season, the limitation of the Reds’ midfielders was laid bare. The trouble was, until Curtis Jones came to prominence, most of them were only really capable of doing a very specific job.

Take Klopp’s preferred starting three, for example. Fabinho is the obvious sitter, Thiago Alcantara is the controller on the left, Jordan Henderson the up-and-down man on the right. All are fine at what they do, more-or-less, but none of them can do the other’s job.

Henderson is an OK holding midfielder, maybe, but can’t do it to anywhere near the level of Fabinho in form. Other than that, you can’t imagine Thiago sitting, or roaming like the skipper does, or Fabinho dictating play like Thiago. It just doesn’t work.

With this trio out of form for most of the campaign, it would have been nice to be able to switch them out, or to rotate. But without suitable back-up, it was tough for Jurgen to that.

Now, as Mac Allister is added to the squad, it should be easier. In theory, the 24-year-old can slot in to do any of those roles, and more. We take Carra’s point about former Brighton players failing to kick on at new clubs, but we think Alexis can be the exception to that. Exciting times ahead.