Alexis Mac Allister: What World Cup winner really thinks of Old Trafford switch amid United links

Manchester United’s search for midfield reinforcements has taken an unexpected detour toward Merseyside, with Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister emerging as a shock name on the club’s radar. The Argentine World Cup winner joins a lengthy list of targets that already includes Carlos Baleba, Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Sandro Tonali, yet the mere suggestion of a cross-Park transfer has ignited debate across the Premier League.

United and Liverpool have not struck a player deal since Phil Chisnall’s switch to Anfield in 1964, a 60-year stand-off that makes the current speculation all the more startling. While some outlets have dismissed the story as fantasy, others insist United are exploring creative structures—including potential swap proposals—to test Liverpool’s resolve.

Those hopes now appear misplaced. Carlos Mac Allister, the midfielder’s father and agent, used an interview with Win Win to shut down any possibility of his son trading red for a deeper shade of it. “Alexis is only thinking about Liverpool at the moment,” he stated. “We are waiting for an offer to renew his contract. We will see what the club’s plan is.”

Pressed on whether a lack of fresh terms could open the door to a move abroad, the elder Mac Allister offered little encouragement to suitors: “We’ll wait and see what happens with the renewal. That’s all.”

The timing of United’s link is curious. Mac Allister, 27, has failed to recapture the swagger that helped Argentina rule the world in 2022, and his subdued form this season underlines the gamble any buying club would face. Premier League experience and tactical versatility remain in his favour, yet INEOS’ recruitment team must weigh those attributes against the possibility that the player’s peak moments are behind him.

With the summer window still months away, United retain room to pivot toward midfielders enjoying more consistent current form, sparing themselves a protracted and potentially fruitless pursuit. For now, Mac Allister’s focus is fixed on Anfield, and Old Trafford’s latest transfer tale appears dead before it ever truly lived.