13 April 2023 , 16:05
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Arsenal and Liverpool are both keen on Brighton star Alexis Mac Allister, and the player's father expects the midfielder to find a new club this summer before one day returning to Boca Juniors.
Mac Allister, 24, spent time on loan at Argentine giants Boca in 2019, just a few months after joining Brighton from Argentinos Juniors. However, he was recalled early from the stint in Buenos Aires after being granted a UK work permit, allowing him to play Premier League football in the second half of the 2019-20 season.
The South American has thrived for club and country, prompting interest from Liverpool as they prepare to explore transfer options other than Jude Bellingham. Arsenal's interest emerged in late 2022 after Mac Allister's World Cup exertions, but the player's father still sees a second Boca stint somewhere in the future.
"Surely Alexis will return to play in Boca at some point," Carlos Mac Allister told Puro Boca (via bolavip ). "Today he is just beginning his career in Europe, but on the way back when he decides to settle in Argentina again, he will surely want to play in Boca, even if it is for a while, to finish thanking and demonstrating the level that it can have in a club of this nature in Argentina.
"Normally the next [transfer window] will find him playing in another institution, we don't know which one. The talks are just beginning in general, but it is most likely that Alexis will already be playing in another team next July."
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Mac Allister played 20 times for Boca in the 2019-20 season, scoring twice in all competitions. The team from La Bombanera ended the season as domestic champions, but lost to fierce rivals River Plate in the semi-finals of the 2019 Copa Libertadores.
Since returning to his parent club, the young talent has played more than 100 games for Brighton. He is the Seagulls' leading scorer this season with eight Premier League goals, and started all four knockout games as Argentina won the World Cup for the first time in his lifetime.
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Alexis Mac Allister had a spell on loan at Boca Juniors during the 2019-20 season (Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)Liverpool's links with Mac Allister come at a time when Jurgen Klopp is seeking replacements for Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as the pair prepare to leave this summer. The Reds have long been in the conversation for Dortmund star Bellingham, but the asking price for the England midfielder could prove too steep.
Chelsea duo Conor Gallagher and Mason Mount have also been linked, with questions over how the London club will set up next term. Neither would come cheap, though, and nor would Mac Allister thanks to the new Brighton deal he signed before the World Cup.
Back in December, Carlos Mac Allister didn't appear to rule out any future move for his son. "I can only say that together with the club we will analyse the offers we will receive and then we will decide what will happen with Alexis' future," the former defender told Tutto Mercato, via Inside Futbol.
"He is doing very well in England and is grateful to Brighton as they gave him the chance to come to Europe. However, neither can we provide a price nor can we say who called us. We don’t want to give any information that could prejudice imminent negotiations if any."