The father of Alexis Mac Allister has explained why his son opted to sign for Liverpool this summer despite rival interest from Chelsea and Manchester City.
Mac Allister made his name as one of the Premier League's best up-and-coming midfielders during a three-and-a-half year spell at Brighton & Hove Albion, and his status as one of world football's emerging talents was secured off the back of a starring role in Argentina's World Cup triumph in 2022.
The 24-year-old was understandably linked with a move away from the Amex Stadium over the summer, with various other top Premier League sides interested in striking a deal.
But in an interview with the Liverpool Echo, Mac Allister's father, Carlos, revealed just why he chose the Reds over Chelsea and Man City.
"The reason why Alexis went to Liverpool is because they showed so much interest in having him on their team," he said.
"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.
"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."
Mac Allister was one of four midfielders signed by Liverpool during the summer transfer window, with Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch also joining the Reds.
He has played almost exclusively in a new defensive midfield role so far this season, with Liverpool missing out on the signings of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea, and could come up against his brother, Kevin, when Klopp's side host Belgian upstarts Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League group stages.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Alexis Mac Allister's reason for joining Liverpool over Chelsea & Man City revealed.