Liverpool are said to be “stepping up” their pursuit of Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, who is “100 percent” likely to move this summer.
Mac Allister has long been touted as a Liverpool target, but earlier this week, top-tier source Paul Joyce of the Times reported that he was “high on the list.”
This comes ahead of a summer in which James Milner, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Arthur will all depart on the expiry of their contracts.
In April, Mac Allister’s father and agent, Carlos, outlined his belief that his son would be “playing for another team” next season, having begun “talks in general.”
Now, both the Guardian and the Mail report that Liverpool are progressing their move for the 24-year-old.
Fabrizio Romano, writing for the Guardian, claims that the club have presented “details of their financial proposal and project” to Mac Allister.
While Romano reports that there is “no agreement” at this stage, the Mail‘s Jack Gaughan and Dominic Hogan describe Liverpool as “front-runners.”
They even go so far as claiming Mac Allister’s team-mates believe he is “destined for Anfield.”
“Sources at the Amex Stadium claimed that the squad have openly discussed the prospect of Mac Allister sealing a switch to Liverpool in the coming months,” the report adds.
On Twitter, Romano rated the Argentine’s chances of leaving Brighton this summer as “100 percent” and that “it will be early.”
A departure from the south coast is expected in either May or June, which certainly fits into Liverpool’s timeline as Jurgen Klopp pushes for signings as soon as possible.
Liverpool will begin pre-season at the AXA Training Centre on July 8, before a training camp in the Black Forest town of Donaueschingen in Germany.
Klopp is eager for any new faces to be bedded in quickly, to avoid the chaos of last summer which led to a disjointed and tired campaign this time out.
Mac Allister has scored 10 goals and laid on two assists in 33 games for Brighton so far this season, as well as starting in all but one game as Argentina won the World Cup in December.
He only joined the Seagulls from Argentinos Juniors in 2019, with the fee believed to be around £7 million – now, Brighton are said to be looking for £70 million.
