Liverpool
Liverpool transfer target Alexis Mac Allister must follow Virgil van Dijk amid Man City’fight’
Liverpool transfer target Alexis Mac Allister must follow Virgil van Dijk amid Man City’fight
With Liverpool having endured a disappointing season, Jürgen Klopp will be looking to revitalize his squad in the coming months as he seeks to compete again with champion Manchester City. He will be hoping that one of his long-rumored transfer targets resists Pep Guardiola’s overtures.
There is no doubt that this campaign has been a sobering experience for the Reds, especially following the exploits of last term where they came within a whisker of completing a quadruple. However, observers could well look back on this season as an important moment in Klopp’s reign, with the need for an overhaul now having become abundantly clear.
One player who has long been mooted as the perfect man to kickstart a new era at Anfield is Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister, with the versatile midfielder having impressed in the Premier League in recent seasons as well as performing a pivotal role in Argentina’s World Cup win last winter. With Liverpool’s midfield having been identified as a key problem area, the 24-year-old could bring some much-needed energy to the side as well as bags of experience.
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However, just as things seemed to be ticking along nicely in terms of a potential move to Merseyside — Fabrizio Romano has reported that the player is close to agreeing personal terms with the club — it appears that Manchester City may have made efforts to gazump the Reds at the 11th hour. According to the Mirror, the Cityzens are considering a bid of their own for the former Boca Juniors ace as they look to replace mainstay İlkay Gündoğan, with Bernardo Silva’s future also potentially in doubt.
All of this, of course, does leave Mac Allister with a big decision to make as he looks to pick his next club. Clearly, with Guardiola’s side currently on the cusp of potentially completing a historic treble, the Etihad side would certainly be an attractive proposition to any player.
In contrast, Liverpool is a club in transition which will more than likely only be able to offer incoming signings Europa League football next term. That said, the World Cup winner may only need to look at the comments of Virgil van Dijk in the past when it comes to assessing the unique charms of Liverpool when compared with other rival Premier League clubs.
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Speaking back in 2020, Van Dijk explained: “I had the chance to go to Chelsea and Man City. When you compare the clubs, you look at the history, the town, the current squad, their plans for the near future.
“But the most important thing you look at is the manager – and Jürgen Klopp is an important reason why I chose for Liverpool. Klopp has something special. Is it his energy? Is it his overall image?”
Clearly, Klopp is a massive draw for elite-level players, with the Netherlands captain’s decision to snub a move to Chelsea and Manchester City in favor of Liverpool demonstrating the German boss’ magnetism. What is plain to see is that the Reds manager is able to inspire players to get the best out of them.
He added: “I sometimes sit and think about what he does and what he has more than others — I think it is his man-management. These days that is more important than anything in football.
“Klopp gives you this great feeling. He is genuinely happy when you walk into the club in the morning. It may sound daft, but that really inspires you as a player.”
Long-rumored Liverpool target Alexis Mac Allister is attracting a lot of interest from rival clubs but could follow Virgil van Dijk’s lead.
(Image: Khalil Bashar/Jam Media/Getty Images)
There is no doubt that Manchester City is comfortably one of the most attractive clubs in the world for any player right now but one imagines that the chance to work under Klopp still remains a tempting prospect, irrespective of Liverpool’s recent woes. Furthermore, Mac Allister only needs to look at Van Dijk to see a prime example of a player who was able to take his game to the next level as a result of the former Borussia Dortmund coach’s guidance.
Tellingly, It appears that Van Dijk remains convinced that he made the right decision to turn down Manchester City back in 2018, with the Dutchman having spoken of Liverpool’s enduring allure in recent weeks. He said: “Everybody knows we’ve been going through a little bit of a transition and, if I’m a player on the rise and I have options to go to the next step and Liverpool is knocking on my door, then I would be very, very interested.”
It may have been a disappointing season for Liverpool but it appears that the club’s leading lights still remain as resolute as ever in their belief that Anfield is the place to be. The Reds will now be holding out hope that Mac Allister sees things the same way.
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