Mac Allister Rejects Man City Move as Liverpool Eyes New Contract

Manchester City came knocking. Alexis Mac Allister didn’t even reach for the handle.

City’s midfield is being ripped up and rewritten this summer. Bernardo Silva has gone to Real Madrid on a free, Rodri is on course to join Barcelona, and Tijjani Reijnders is heading to Al Qadsiah. Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi are already through the door, but Pep Guardiola’s old machine still needs another key cog.

Enzo Maresca wants that cog to be Enzo Fernandez. Chelsea, though, have drawn a hard line. Clubs were told to lodge a £120m bid by 5pm UK time if they wanted any chance of landing the Argentina international. Meet the valuation and a deal gets done. Miss it, and Chelsea will keep Fernandez and ignore any offers for the rest of this window and in January.

Maresca had already hinted on Friday that City were unlikely to throw that kind of money at the deadline. The clock ticked, the window inched on, and the £120m offer never arrived.

So City turned to alternatives. talkSPORT revealed that Liverpool’s World Cup winner Mac Allister had emerged on their shortlist. The profile fits: technically sharp, tactically intelligent, Premier League proven. On paper, an ideal solution.

In reality, there was no chance.

“My son will stay at Liverpool. We have not discussed any possibility of him leaving the club this summer,” said his father, former professional Carlos Mac Allister, in comments relayed by Fabrizio Romano.

TEAMtalk have since confirmed that City did make an approach to the player’s camp. The response was firm. Mac Allister is staying at Anfield.

This is not a player looking for an escape route after a difficult 2025/26 campaign. Quite the opposite. According to TEAMtalk insider Graeme Bailey, Mac Allister is energised by the arrival of new head coach Andoni Iraola and sees the Spaniard as a manager who can elevate his game.

“The midfielder is more than happy at Liverpool and is looking forward to working under new head coach Andoni Iraola, an inside source close to the player’s representatives has revealed.

“Indeed, sources indicate Mac Allister believes Iraola will be a particularly good fit for him and is excited by the role he can play in the new manager’s plans.”

That belief is being matched inside the club. Liverpool, Bailey reports, are already weighing up a contract extension for the 25-year-old, whose current deal has just under two years to run.

“Liverpool, meanwhile, are equally keen to keep Mac Allister and we understand the club already have plans in place to open discussions over a new contract later this year.

The midfielder currently has two years remaining on his existing deal, but Liverpool are open to extending his stay and want to recognise his importance to the team with improved terms.”

So while City scramble to rebuild a title-winning midfield, one of their prime targets has chosen stability over the lure of another superclub project. No agitation, no flirtation, no saga.

“For now, there is no desire from Mac Allister or his camp to pursue an exit, with the player instead focused on returning to work and becoming a key part of Iraola’s Liverpool side.”

City will move on to the next name. Mac Allister will report back to Kirkby, eyes fixed on a new role under Iraola and a Liverpool midfield being reshaped around him.