Liverpool CONFIRM Alexis Mac Allister transfer as they seal first summer signing in £55m deal from Brighton
LIVERPOOL have completed the £55million signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton.
The 24-year-old passed a medical on Tuesday before penning a long-term deal, believed to be five-years.
He will officially join up with the squad on the first day of pre-season next month and wear the No10 shirt.
The midfielder told Liverpoolfc.com: “It feels amazing. It’s a dream come true, it’s amazing to be here and I can’t wait to get started.
“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.
“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.”
It’s understood Liverpool will pay £35m up front, with another £20m in add-ons.
Mac Allister joins the Jurgen Klopp’s side following a successful three-year spell at Brighton.
The midfielder signed for the Seagulls after transferring from boyhood club Argentinos Juniors in January 2019, but he was immediately loaned back until the end of the season.
He then spent the first half of the 2019-20 campaign on loan at Boca Juniors before returning to the Amex Stadium in January 2020.
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Mac Allister has since scored 20 goals in 112 appearances for Brighton.
This season, he helped the Seagulls secure Europa League qualification for the first time.
He was also included in Argentina’s World Cup-winning squad in December.
Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi said: “I’m proud to have been Alexis’s coach; he is a very talented player. It has also been a privilege to work with a guy who has strong and traditional values, and I want to wish him good luck for the future.”
Brighton chairman Tony Bloom added: “We are incredibly proud of Alexis and we are sad to see him go. He did something very special, becoming the first Brighton & Hove Albion player to win the World Cup, and was a key player in our best-ever season.
“He will always be welcome here at the Amex and in the city. On behalf of all Albion fans, I would like to thank Alexis for the many amazing memories and superb performances in a Brighton shirt and wish him well for the next chapter in his career.”
Following his success on the international stage, several clubs expressed an interest in signing Mac Allister.
Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea were all said to be monitoring the midfielder, but Liverpool have won the race to sign him.
Mac Allister added: “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.”
The Reds have already confirmed the departures of three first team players this summer.
James Milner, who is set to join Brighton on a free, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita are all leaving at the end of their deals.
Now that Mac Allister’s deal is done, more midfield additions are being targeted.
Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella and Southampton’s Belgian international, Romeo Lavia, are both well liked by Klopp.