Alexis Mac Allister to Real Madrid prediction as Spanish reporter makes £68m Liverpool claim

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Ryan Gravenberch is not the only member of Arne Slot’s soon-to-be Premier League-winning Liverpool squad mentioned in conjunction with Real Madrid this month.

Because, while Gravenberch’s agent talked up a switch to the Santiago Bernabeu a week ago, Alexis Mac Allister continues to feature alongside Real Madrid in the gossip columns.

While the Liverpool star’s father insists Anfield is where he wants to be both now and long into the future, it felt telling that Mac Allister is keen to kept the door ajar to Spain.

“It is a country I like a lot and I’ve visited it several times,” the £35 million signing from Brighton and Hove Albion told AS in December of last year. “And, above all, because of the language and the culture, it’s very similar to Argentina.

“I would definitely like to play in Spain one day. But right now, I’m very comfortable at Liverpool and I don’t think about what might happen in the future.”

Liverpool have a recent history of losing star players to Spanish giants at the peak of their powers. See Luis Suarez, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano.

So, could history be about to repeat itself?

Real Madrid move for Liverpool star Alexis Mac Allister played down

Fortunately, there is no reason at this stage for anyone connected with Liverpool to lose even a wink of sleep.

Gravenberch’s representative admits that a move to Real Madrid – no matter how much his camp might dream of it – is ‘impossible’ right now.

And, as Spanish reporter Ramon Alvarez de Mon tells El Crack Deportivo, Mac Allister is no longer the type of signing Real Madrid tend to prioritise these days.

While the days of the ‘Galacticos’ are never truly over, it is true that Los Blancos now tend to focus on the next generation of superstars. Or, even in the case of more established world-leading talent such as Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, players well under the age of 26.

Since the summer of 2019 – and the disastrous arrival of Eden Hazard – Real Madrid have signed only three players aged 26 and over.

David Alaba, Antonio Rudiger, and back-up centre-forward Joselu.

“Mac Allister is 26 years old and will turn 27 [in December],” explains De Mon, a reporter very much ‘in the know’ when it comes to the reigning European champions. “His contract ends in 2028.

“He is a player who does not fit Real Madrid’s transfer policy. He is not young enough to make a big deal out of [signing Mac Allister]. He is not at a selling club and his contract is not close to ending.

“Without ruling anything out, it is not an operation that fits into the club’s transfer policy because I do not think his asking price will go below 80 million euros [£68 million]. I see it as difficult for Real Madrid to undertake an operation such as this.”

Mac Allister’s father says Argentina international is ‘very happy’ under Arne Slot

Coming to the end of his second season on Merseyside, Mac Allister is set to add a Premier League winners’ medal to last year’s EFL Cup triumph.

The World Cup winner produced one of his most complete performances of the campaign, meanwhile, as Liverpool moved one step closer to glory with Sunday’s 2-1 win over West Ham United.

“For now, I don’t think so,” Carlos Mac Allister said when asked if Alexis could depart in the near future. “Time will tell. Alexis is very happy where he is.

“He lives in Manchester, and on the block where he lives is [Andy] Robertson, [Joe] Gomez, and four blocks away is [Manchester United defender and Argentina teammate] Licha Martinez.

“Alexis speaks English well, understands the rules of the game, and converses with people. I think [moving to Liverpool] has been the best thing he’s had, and that’s why the adaptation was easier.