Liverpool's Transfer Dilemma: Keeping Alexis Mac Allister

Andoni Iraola knows exactly what he has in Alexis Mac Allister – and exactly what he stands to lose.

The Argentine midfielder, fresh from a season in which he emerged as one of Liverpool’s standout performers and a World Cup finalist with his country, has become a familiar name in the Madrid rumour mill. With two years left on his contract, the speculation is not going away.

Iraola is not pretending otherwise. But he is drawing a clear line.

“I think Alexis has been one of the best players of the club last year and has done a very good World Cup,” the Liverpool manager said, underlining just how central Mac Allister has become on Merseyside. Interest from Europe’s elite, he added, is simply the cost of doing business at the top. The message beneath the calm delivery was sharper: Liverpool do not want to sell.

“It is normal that other clubs want our best players, our good players, it always happens in other markets. But I want to, also as other clubs want, I want to keep my good players. Probably I'm looking forward more to signing new players than the ones we have here.”

That last line cuts to the heart of Liverpool’s summer.

Holes to fill after major exits

While Mac Allister’s future hangs over the window, Iraola’s more immediate problem is the damage already done. Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konaté have gone, leaving gaping spaces in a dressing room that, not long ago, felt built to last.

The coach did not hide from it. He called the need for reinforcements “obvious”, a rare bit of bluntness in a market usually wrapped in caution. The structure of the first team has been shaken, and Liverpool’s recruitment department is now under pressure to reshape the squad around the players who remain.

Top of the list: a winger.

“The market is open, you have to be always open to new options to improve the squad,” Iraola said, before making one priority crystal clear. “There are obvious situations where we need to sign players. Winger for example, we definitely need to sign a winger, but there are other situations where we will have to analyse what the market gives you, what is the cost, how we also see the players we have.”

No vague talk of “attacking options.” No hiding behind versatility. Liverpool need width, pace and end product out wide, and they need it fast.

Injuries complicate the plan

The transfer puzzle is not only about replacing those who have left. It is also about trusting those who are still not fully available.

“We have some tricky positions where we have injured players that we trust, but it is still not the ideal situation, so it will depend on a lot of things,” Iraola admitted.

That uncertainty shapes everything. Do Liverpool buy aggressively now and risk blocking the path of players they value once fit? Or do they gamble on those returns and run light in the first months of the season?

For Iraola, timing is critical. The speed at which certain players get back into full training could dictate not only who arrives, but how he sets up tactically in the opening weeks of the campaign.

A crucial tour in the United States

All of this plays out against the backdrop of Liverpool’s pre-season tour in the United States, where the squad is currently based. For Iraola, this trip is not a branding exercise. It is a laboratory.

Here, away from the noise of the window, he can drill his ideas, test combinations and take a closer look at the club’s younger talents. New signings Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz will be under the microscope as he weighs whether more signings are essential or merely desirable.

The schedule is demanding enough to offer clues: matches against Sunderland, Leeds United and Wrexham will give the coaching staff a live read on fitness, intensity and technical level across the group. Perform well, and some of the academy hopefuls might buy the club time in the market. Struggle, and the calls for reinforcements will grow louder.

One key figure is still missing from that picture. After a long season and a run to the World Cup final with Argentina, Mac Allister is due to rejoin the squad after the break. His return date, and how quickly he hits his stride, will matter.

Liverpool are reshaping on the fly. The manager wants to keep his best players, build around them, and plug the gaps left by giants of the recent era. Whether Mac Allister starts the new season in red or becomes the next big name to move will say plenty about how bold – or vulnerable – this new Liverpool really are.