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Alexis Mac Allister cast serious doubt over his Liverpool future on Tuesday when the 2022 World Cup winner revealed the club has not offered him a contract extension at Anfield, and that he had the "chance" to depart during the recently-closed transfer window.
Mac Allister was central to a sweeping midfield overhaul in 2023 when he completed a move from Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal worth up to $74 million (£55 million). He went on to become a key figure in the Liverpool side that claimed the Premier League title in 2024–25.
However, the contract he signed upon arrival now has fewer than two years remaining. This is typically the stage at which clubs aim to secure the futures of their top players under 30—and the same juncture at which Liverpool famously fumbled the situation with Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Adding to Mac Allister's frustration, given his surprisingly underwhelming form last season, is the fact that fellow midfielders Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch have both penned new deals this year, running until 2031 and 2032, respectively.
"I see Dominik and Ryan signing new contracts, and that makes me very happy because they deserve it, but at the same time, it makes me a little bit sad that I didn't get mine," Mac Allister said at a press conference ahead of Liverpool's Champions League opener against Atlético Madrid. The Argentine revealed his agent was informed the club is "not in a position to renew."
Whether salary demands are a factor remains unclear. However, Szoboszlai and Gravenberch are now believed to be among Liverpool's top earners, with only Virgil van Dijk reportedly earning more than the latter.
Mac Allister would likely anticipate a comparable pay rise on his current salary, estimated at around $203,000 (£150,000) per week—just over half of Gravenberch's upgraded wages. Even with Van Dijk expected to depart next summer, accumulating too many players near the top of the wage structure carries significant risk. Mac Allister turns 28 before the year is out, meaning a lengthy new deal is not necessarily a wise financial commitment for Liverpool at this point.
Szoboszlai and Gravenberch are both younger and could still command strong resale fees even toward the tail end of long-term contracts. Mac Allister cannot say the same, nor has his performances over the past year justified such an investment. Mohamed Salah repeatedly went public when his Liverpool deal was winding down in 2025, applying pressure on the club—a strategy that ultimately paid off. But Salah was delivering one of the finest individual seasons in the club's history at the time.
Mac Allister, given his current form, is unlikely to achieve the same outcome if that is indeed his intention.
Why It's in Mac Allister's Interest to Stay at Liverpool
Mac Allister told reporters "there was a chance [to leave]" Liverpool over the summer. It appears, then, that he turned it down and opted to remain at the club.
There are two primary reasons behind that decision. The first is clearly that he wants to continue as a Liverpool player in the long term, both for the sporting ambitions and the financial stability it would provide. "There is still time" to agree on a contract, he noted.
"We will see what happens. There were options to leave this summer, and I think right now I'm in the right club, and I have the mindset to give my 100% for this club.
"It's going to depend on how I perform during this year. They are right to make the decision as well, but hopefully they change their minds."
The second reason is that running down his contract and entering the market as a free agent in 2028 could ultimately prove far more lucrative for Mac Allister.
In practice, no transfer is ever truly 'free.' The trade-off for bypassing club-to-club negotiations and transfer fees is that free-agent players—especially those with established reputations—can negotiate substantially larger signing bonuses than would otherwise be on the table. Clubs tend to be more open to such arrangements precisely because they haven't had to spend money upfront to secure the player.
Although Mac Allister has yet to hold any discussions with new manager Andoni Iraola regarding his future, he stated he will "give 100% for [Liverpool] … until the last day I'm here," hinting that he does envision a scenario in which he eventually moves on.
"I don't want to say things they never said, but what I got from my agent was that they were not in a position to renew me," the player explained.
"It's really sad because we won a Premier League together, we've been through difficult times together and I always give my best. We will see what happens, but it makes me a little bit sad."
Clubs Alexis Mac Allister Could Join
If Liverpool have no intention of offering Mac Allister a new deal, it will be in the club's best interest to sell no later than the summer of 2027 to avoid a sharp drop in his market value. After that point, January 2028 would represent the final opportunity to recoup any meaningful fee for the player.
As things stand, if Liverpool are looking to sell, it likely suits Mac Allister to remain. Yet it now seems inevitable that he will need a new club at some stage within the next two years.
Mac Allister has already been linked with several clubs over the past few months. Manchester City were reportedly interested, though only as a contingency before successfully landing their primary target, Enzo Fernández. That avenue now appears closed.
It is conceivable that Mac Allister could end up replacing Fernández, his Argentina international teammate, at Chelsea. The Blues missed out on signing a new midfielder on Deadline Day after Monaco pulled out of the Lamine Camara deal, and Mac Allister has a proven track record in English football.
Real Madrid have yet to find adequate replacements for Toni Kroos or Luka Modrić, leaving them in need of a central midfielder. Free agents—Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konaté, and Kylian Mbappé among them—also hold considerable appeal for Los Blancos. What their requirements and ambitions will look like in 2027 or 2028, and what level Mac Allister will be performing at by then, remains to be seen.
Atlético Madrid, where Koke turns 35 this season, could be another potential destination worth monitoring.