Man Utd could address 3-year Alexis Mac Allister transfer frustration with move for Liverpool star
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Liverpool moved to secure his signing three years ago, but now his future looks less certainManchester United's reported interest in Alexis Mac Allister comes three years after Liverpool beat the Red Devils to his signatureNot for the first time, Liverpool made its move first in the transfer market.Love or loathe it, the Reds’ precise strategy in the market ensures that when a target is identified, the club does not dawdle. On this occasion, it was Alexis Mac Allister whom the Reds snapped up before that season’s Champions League final had taken place.READ MORE: Alexis Mac Allister revealed truth about Lisandro Martinez relationship amid Man Utd linksREAD MORE: Alexis Mac Allister already explained why he picked Liverpool over Man UtdHis arrival from Brighton & Hove Albion helped shape what proved to be a crucial summer rebuild under Jurgen Klopp, although it was ultimately Arne Slot who benefited from the freshly assembled midfield triumvirate of Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai.Of that trio, it was Mac Allister, the World Cup winner, who had drawn the most interest from elsewhere.
In hindsight, it was a missed opportunity, one that United could look to remedy this summer.If reports are to be believed, the Red Devils are considering a summer approach for Mac Allister three years on from that initial frustration.As unlikely as that feels given the scarcity of players who have represented England’s two greatest clubs in recent years, it’s a move that feels significantly more plausible than it did 12 months ago.For a start, Mac Allister’s form has plummeted this season. Regarded as one of the world’s top midfielders a year ago, who earned a place in last season’s PFA Team of the Year, his place in Slot’s starting XI no longer feels guaranteed.Injuries and fitness concerns have proved problematic, and the need for a holding midfielder means Mac Allister may not be an automatic pick, given Slot can call upon Gravenberch, Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz.The Argentinian lives closer to Old Trafford than Anfield and could be swayed by the presence of his international team-mate, Lisandro Martinez, at United.Mac Allister's long-term future does not look certain at Liverpool(Image: Robin Jones, Getty Images)However, there is the ominous figure of Real Madrid lurking in the background as the summer beckons.
Still, its interest underlines how his long-term future at Liverpool is far from certain.The 27-year-old will enter the final two years of his contract this summer, and, particularly as extension talks with Szoboszlai and Gravenberch continue, the prospect of Mac Allister departing should not be overlooked.Perhaps there are lessons to be drawn from Luis Diaz’s exit last year. The Colombian was in a similar position to Mac Allister, with two years remaining on his contract and demands for an improved deal falling on deaf ears.Some feel Liverpool came to regret that decision, and allowing Mac Allister to leave would be a similarly controversial choice.The Reds once acted decisively to secure his future.