Manchester City ‘are ready to hijack Liverpool’s move for £70m Alexis Mac Allister’
Manchester City ‘are ready to hijack move from Liverpool for £70million Alexis Mac Allister’ as Pep Guardiola considers Brighton star an ‘ideal replacement if Ilkay Gundogan leaves this summer’
- Liverpool have long been following the Argentine as they plan a midfield revamp
- But City could offer the World Cup winner a place in the Champions League
- Guardiola is looking for replacements for his captain Gundogan and Bernardo Silva
According to reports, Manchester City are looking to derail Liverpool’s plans to lure World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister to Merseyside with a move to the Brighton midfielder.
Mac Allister has long been linked with the Reds, who are planning a midfield revamp after a season of ups and downs that saw Jurgen Klopp’s players poised to miss out on a Champions League spot.
Liverpool are said to be well advanced in their talks with the Argentina international, with new sporting director Jorg Schmadtke keen to secure a deal within the first month of arriving at Anfield.
But the Premier League’s defending champions could be the fly in the ointment as they begin to map out their own moves in the upcoming transfer window.
Pep Guardiola and sporting director Txiki Begiristain have reportedly drawn up a list of their top goals for the summer to extend the success of their sweeping 2022-23 campaign.
Alexis Mac Allister has caught the eye of Premier League champions Manchester City
Pep Guardiola (left) has drawn up a list of summer transfers that could derail his counterpart Jurgen Klopp’s (right) plans
From the mirrorMac Allister is heavily favored as the club look to replace captain Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva, who are said to be moving away from Manchester during the period.
The 24-year-old is wishlisted by his Brighton team-mate, 19-year-old star Julio Enciso, who has shone for the Seagulls since making his Premier League debut this season.
Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich is also keen to be seen in midfield, while RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol – once coveted by Chelsea – could be a worthy replacement for the fallen Aymeric Laporte.
City have also been eyeing West Ham captain Declan Rice, who is on the verge of moving on from the London Stadium in a potential £100m transfer to a top-flight rival, with Arsenal currently leading the pack.
Unlike Liverpool, City can sweeten any potential deal for Mac Allister with the promise of Champions League football next season after City topped the table with three games to spare.
Julio Enciso (right) is another south coast talent on Man City’s wish list
Winning the trophy at the Etihad for a third consecutive year saw Guardiola join an elite club of managers who have accomplished this feat in English football, including Herbert Chapman, Bob Paisley and Sir Alex Ferguson.
Brighton are well aware that they are likely to lose their midfielder – albeit for a sum of up to £70million – as well as Moises Caicedo over the coming period.
Ahead of Brighton’s 3-1 win against Southampton, head coach Roberto De Zerbi said it could be a ‘possibility’ of them losing big players including Mac Allister and Caicedo, adding: ‘We are Brighton and I know my club’s policies. , and we must be prepared to bring in other good players with the right qualities.’
Brighton have taken the lead by signing Joao Pedro from Watford in early May, and the club are in advanced talks with Liverpool’s James Milner and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud.