Liverpool’s midfield maestro, Alexis Mac Allister, is absolutely on fire this season, playing like the best central midfielder under Andoni Iraola, yet his contract talks are still nowhere to be found. It is a head-scratcher, especially after former recruitment head Richard Hughes dropped over £600 million on a squad that, let’s be real, still isn’t the best in the Premier League. The pieces are there, sure, with some top-tier players, but as a unit, they just haven’t clicked. This is exactly why the arrival of Julian Ward as Liverpool’s new sporting director feels like a much-needed breath of fresh air.
Ward Steps In, Contract Clock Ticks
Ward knows the ropes; he was in this role before. Remember back in 2022 when he worked through Christmas to make sure Liverpool nabbed Cody Gakpo, reportedly over Manchester United? That’s the kind of hustle fans need to see. While he hasn’t even hit his first transfer window yet, the buzz around his return hints at a positive new era. And man, does Liverpool need it, especially with a ton of contracts set to expire in the next couple of years. We’re talking Virgil van Dijk and Alisson potentially walking out the door this summer with no new deal talks even on the table. That’s a huge problem.
But the biggest puzzle right now has to be Mac Allister. His current deal runs out in June 2028. Last season, his performances were apparently “below par,” leading the club to prioritize new deals for Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch instead. Can you imagine how Mac Allister felt? He thought he’d done enough to earn an extension, and he got passed over. Fast forward to today, and he’s not just playing well, he’s “Iraola’s best central midfielder.” Still, no contract talks. It’s wild. But, thanks to a recent update from Lewis Steele, there’s a glimmer of hope that this situation could finally change.
Midfield Mismatch and Mac Allister’s Rise
Honestly, if you’ve watched Liverpool at all this season, you’re probably scratching your head wondering why Szoboszlai and Gravenberch got those extensions over Mac Allister. It looked like the club saw them as the midfield of the future before Iraola came in. But with Iraola’s double pivot system, it’s become super clear that those two just don’t mesh. They barely win any duels, and they leave massive holes in the middle of the park. That forces Mac Allister or Trey Nyoni to cover for them, which just doesn’t make much sense when you look at the whole picture.
Mac Allister, despite some acknowledged “inconsistency,” has regularly been one of the Reds’ best players. His form this season alone screams “new contract now.” It’s hard to reconcile his current impact with the club’s past decisions. Now, with Ward back at the helm and these contract issues looming large, the pressure is on to get this right. The squad’s collective cohesion, and indeed their future, depends on smart decisions being made right now.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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