Manchester City and Chelsea were reportedly prevented from signing Liverpool star Alexis Mac Allister after an important phone call.
After losing the likes of James Milner, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, Naby Keita, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, Liverpool underwent a midfield overhaul during the summer transfer window.
Argentine World Cup winner Mac Allister was the first signing of the summer after arriving from Brighton and Hove Albion in a deal worth a reported fee of £35 million.
However, prior to Liverpool securing the 24-year-old’s signature, it was reported that Chelsea and City were also keeping tabs on the midfielder.
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Whilst speaking to The Echo ahead of Liverpool’s Europa League clash against Union Saint-Gilloise, Mac Allister’s father, Carlos said: “The reason why Alexis went to Liverpool is because they showed so much interest in having him on their team.
“They showed a desire to count on him and we wanted Alexis to go to a team where he could be settled for the start of pre-season; move on the first day of the transfer window - all that stuff. This was so important because we wanted him to have a good preparation with the team he decided to sign with.”
He continued: “Jurgen Klopp was crucial a figure in the transfer. He was talking with Alexis. When he received the phone call from Jurgen it was important in deciding which team he should choose to play for.
“Already Alexis likes to work with Jurgen, and Jurgen likes to work with Alexis. I think that is very important for a player to train at a place where you feel loved, and also your trainer and mates trust you at every moment.”
Against Union Saint-Gilloise on Thursday night, Mac Allister will line up against his brother, Kevin.
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Carlos said: “Even though some of the brothers have already played against one another while in Argentina, this match is different because it means a lot to me to see how the boys have grown in their careers.
“All the time they are joking with each other. Alexis says he will dribble past Kevin, or Kevin will say he will put in a hard tackle, or Alexis will say that he will score. In the WhatsApp group of the family, they joke and talk a lot. But they live everything in a healthy way.”
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Featured Image Credit: GettyTopics: Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Alexis Mac Allister, Football