Liverpool have confirmed the signing of Argentinian midfielder Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion.
The 24-year-old has penned a five-year deal with the Reds until the end of the 2027-28 campaign, and Liverpool are believed to have forked out £35m for his services.
Mac Allister will wear the number 10 shirt at Liverpool, which has been vacant since Sadio Mane's exit in the summer of 2022, and he becomes the Reds' first signing of the summer window.
"It feels amazing. It's a dream come true, it's amazing to be here and I can't wait to get started," Mac Allister told liverpoolfc.com after putting pen to paper on his long-term contract.
"I wanted to be in [from] the first day of pre-season, so it's good that everything is done. I'm looking forward to meeting my teammates."
From Argentina to Anfield 👌🇦🇷#VamosAlexis pic.twitter.com/d8sgzEGRzK
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 8, 2023
The Argentina international rose to stardom for club and country in the 2022-23 season, playing a key role for the South American nation during their World Cup triumph in Qatar.
Mac Allister scored one goal and set up one more in six World Cup starts for Argentina, playing 116 minutes in the final against France and providing an assist for Angel Di Maria.
The 24-year-old also ended the campaign as Brighton's top scorer with 12 goals in all competitions, 10 of which came in the Premier League as Roberto De Zerbi's side qualified for the Europa League with a sixth-placed finish.
However, a mechanism existed in Mac Allister's contract which made it easier for the midfielder to facilitate a move away, and De Zerbi admitted on the final day of the season that the midfielder had likely played his final game for the Seagulls.
"It was a fantastic year for me – World Cup, what we achieved with Brighton – but now it's time to think about Liverpool and try to be a better player and a better human being every day," Mac Allister added.
© Reuters
"Since I won the World Cup, I said that I want to win more trophies and I think that this club will help me to do that – that's the aim and when you are in a big club like this one you have to win trophies. So, that's what I want.
"Since I arrived here, I can see how big this club is – the players we have, the staff, everyone. I'm really pleased and looking forward to playing for this club."
Mac Allister represented Brighton on 112 occasions since leaving Argentinos Juniors in 2019, scoring 20 goals and providing nine assists for the Seagulls in all competitions.
The versatile lynchpin - who can operate as a number eight or number 10 - spent six months on loan with Boca Juniors before making his Brighton breakthrough, and he reinforces Liverpool's midfield as the Reds prepare to wave goodbye to Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Brighton-bound James Milner on free transfers.
Klopp reportedly wants to sign another two midfielders this summer after wrapping up the signing of Mac Allister, and contact is said to have been made over deals for Nice's Khephren Thuram and Borussia Monchengladbach's Manu Kone.
Ben Knapton
