Why Liverpool Aren't Offering World Cup Star Alexis Mac Allister a New Contract

Alexis Mac Allister put serious doubt into his Liverpool future on Tuesday when the 2022 World Cup-winning midfielder revealed he is not being offered a new contract at Anfield and had the "chance" to leave altogether during the recently-closed transfer window. Mac Allister was part of a major midfield rebuild in 2023 when he completed a transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion worth up to $74 million (£55 million). He then became a cornerstone of the Liverpool team that won the Premier League in 2024–25. But the contract he originally signed now has less than two years left to go. This is typically the point by which clubs like to secure the futures of their best players under 30-and where Liverpool dropped the ball with Trent Alexander-Arnold. All the worse for Mac Allister, who was surprisingly poor last season, is that fellow midfielders Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch have signed new contracts this year until 2031 and 2032, respectively. "I see Dominik and Ryan renewing their contracts, and that makes me very happy because they deserve it, but at the same time, it makes me a little bit sad that I didn't get mine," Mac Allister said at a press conference before Liverpool's Champions League opener against Atlético Madrid. The Argentine said his agent was told the club is "not in a position to renew." Whether that is related to salary is not clear. But Szoboszlai and Gravenberch are estimated to now be among Liverpool's highest earners, with only Virgil van Dijk paid more than the latter. Mac Allister would likely expect a similar raise on his salary, estimated to be around $203,000 (£150,000) per week-just over half of Gravenberch's increased paycheck. Even though Van Dijk will likely move on next summer, collecting too many players near the top of the wage bill is always risky. Mac Allister will turn 28 before the end of the year, so a long-term contract at this stage is not necessarily a sound investment for Liverpool. Szoboszlai and Gravenberch are both younger and still potentially have resale value even towards the end of a long-term contract. Mac Allister will not, nor has he played at the level to merit one over the past 12 months. Mohamed Salah went public several times when his Liverpool contract was expiring in 2025, putting pressure on the club. It eventually worked, but Salah was having one of the all-time great seasons at the time. Mac Allister, in this form, is unlikely to be successful, if that is his aim. Mac Allister told reporters "there was a chance [to leave]" Liverpool during the summer. Presumably, then, he turned it down and chose to stay. There are two main reasons to do this. The first is obviously that he wants to continue being a Liverpool player in the long run, with both the sporting aspirations and the financial security that it would bring. "There is still time" to sign a contract, he said. "We will see what happens. There were options to leave this summer, and I think right now I'm in the right club, and I have the mindset to give my 100% for this club. "It's going to depend on how I perform during this year. They are right to make the decision as well, but hopefully they change their minds." The second is that riding out his contract and awaiting a transfer as a free agent in 2028 could ultimately be a lot more financially rewarding for Mac Allister. In reality, no transfer is truly 'free.' The concession for no club-to-club negotiations or transfer fees is that free-agent players, particularly those with bigger reputations, can command larger signing bonuses than might usually be the case. Clubs are typically more willing to engage because they haven't already had to hand over cash to begin with. Although Mac Allister hasn't had any conversations with new manager Andoni Iraola about his future, he said he will "give 100% for [Liverpool] … until the last day I'm here," suggesting he does see a scenario in which he's eventually released. "I don't want to say things they never said, but what I got from my agent was that they were not in a position to renew me," the player explained. "It's really sad because we won a Premier League together, we've been through difficult times together and I always give my best. We will see what happens, but it makes me a little bit sad." If Liverpool don't plan to offer Mac Allister a new contract, it will be in the club's interest to sell no later than summer 2027 to ensure his valuation doesn't fall through the floor. After that, January 2028 would be the only chance to recoup any money on the player. As we've established, if Liverpool want to sell, it probably suits Mac Allister to stay. But it seems inevitable now that he will need a new club at some point within the next two years. Mac Allister has already been linked with a number of clubs going back several months. Manchester City were thought to be interested, but as a backup before managing to seal a deal for primary target Enzo Fernández. It's no longer viable. It's feasible that Mac Allister could wind up replacing Fernández, his Argentina teammate, at Chelsea. The Blues lost their opportunity to bring in a new midfielder on Deadline Day when Monaco pulled the plug on Lamine Camara, and Mac Allister is proven in England. Real Madrid still haven't replaced Toni Kroos or Luka Modrić, which puts them in the market for a central midfielder. Free agents-Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konaté, Kylian Mbappé, to name just three-are also a massive appeal to Los Blancos. Quite what their needs and ambitions will be in 2027 or 2028, or what level Mac Allister will be at, remains to be seen. Atlético Madrid, where Koke turns 35 this season, might be another consideration. This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Liverpool Aren't Offering World Cup Star Alexis Mac Allister a New Contract. Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved. This story was originally published September 8, 2026 at 9:26 AM.