Liverpool complete transfer of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton

Liverpool have confirmed the signing of Alexis McAllister from Brighton & Hove Albion. He will wear the number 10 shirt. It has been confirmed by Liverpool Football Club. They have posted a video saying from Argentina to Anfield. We have Anton Toulouse here on set. We've just learnt this a few minutes ago after they posted a cryptic clue just minutes before that, didn't they? As is the style. We were expecting something. We were. And I think this is a signing that will make Liverpool fans very, very happy indeed. We've been talking for the last 12 months about the need for a midfielder. Well, they've signed a midfielder that can do absolutely everything. And they've paid a fee I think some people may well be a little bit surprised about. Liverpool is not obviously disclosing the fee. But we understand it's a fee of around £35 million, a flat fee. And then potentially some bonuses and additions as well. So I think a lot of people might be expecting a World Cup winner to potentially go for a lot more. But look, it's a fascinating deal, isn't it? Because we know of his quality, but we know he's a World Cup winner. But Liverpool, we understand, have been watching Alexis McAllister, have been tracking his progress and have been wanting him for some time. And if you look at Liverpool's signings over the last few years, their successful signings over the last few years, they've targeted players, so that kind of 150, 200 appearances kind of bracket between 20, 23 and 25. And that is, you know, the likes of Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Berto Firmino, Virgil van Dijk. All when they signed, they were in that bracket. Well, Alexis McAllister at 24 is that kind of player as well. We knew they wanted Jude Bellingham, but obviously his price was out of their range. They wanted to focus their budget elsewhere and put a little bit less money into that midfield position. Well, they've softened the blow quite well by signing a World Cup winner, a big part of Brighton's push up the Premier League, scored 10 goals in the Premier League last season as well. So, yeah, it's a massive, massive signing for Liverpool, one that Jurgen Klopp will absolutely love. I urge everybody to go read Adam Bates' piece on the Sky Sports app earlier this week about how he would fit into Liverpool's system, how he can win the ball back, how he's creative, how he's a little bit of everything. And you think about the successful midfielders Liverpool have had under Jurgen Klopp. That seems to fit the mould, right? So a player that you think would effortlessly fit in to what Liverpool are trying to achieve. Yeah, I'm just looking at what they're trying to achieve. He did great things, of course, with Brighton. Liverpool had a bit of an up and down season, didn't they? Ended on a high. This will certainly give the fans a bit of a boost as they aim for European football and hopefully Champions League football soon enough. Getting back in the Champions League is absolutely vital, isn't it? And I think you look at Liverpool's midfield sort of, you know, the last few weeks of the season with what they did with Trent Alexander-Arnold going in there, Curtis Jones playing so well at the end of the season. All of a sudden, that midfield now with Alexis McAllister coming in, and there may well be more additions to Liverpool this summer as well. You think, actually, is this now becoming, is their weakness now becoming a strength? Because, you know, like I said, we all know McAllister's skills, but also they've got players in the midfield that are going to get better, be it Trent Alexander-Arnold, who's still relatively young, and Curtis Jones, who is still young. So, yeah, it's going to be really, really interesting sort of how that Liverpool team evolves over the next few sort of weeks and months of the season, because you look at what he did at Brighton, Alexis McAllister, top goalscorer, highest number of shots, as you can see there, three balls completed, I think it's fascinating, as Liverpool look to be a little bit more creative, and like I said, Alexis McAllister can do a bit of everything. He can bring the ball forward really well, and he can get under the skin of opposition and win you plenty of free kicks as well, for, you know, potentially someone like Virgil van Dijk to get on the end of as well. So, he may be a creator, he may score goals himself, and he may well be able to get other people on the score sheet as well. So, it's a signing that makes sense for Liverpool, but a huge loss for Brighton. It is. He's just 24 years old as well. So, yeah, big, big signing for Liverpool, big loss to Brighton. When more details emerge, we will, of course, let you know about that, but Liverpool confirming that Alexis McAllister is a player there.