Liverpool and Manchester United don’t typically do transfer business as fierce rivals and the two biggest clubs in English football. However, that could change this summer.
A permanent transfer between the two clubs hasn’t happened in over 50 years now. Phil Chisnall swapped Old Trafford for Anfield all the way back in 1964.
It’s become rare for any player to represent both Premier League giants during their careers. Of course, there are some exceptions to that rule. See Michael Owen and Paul Ince.
Direct business is extremely rare between the two teams. In the same way Liverpool and Everton rarely do business.
Manchester United want Alexis Mac Allister in midfield rebuild
According to The Mirror, the Red Devils are considering a shock swoop to break the mould and sign Alexis Mac Allister from Liverpool this summer.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazers may not have a permanent manager in place for next season, but transfer plans are already being drawn up.
Mac Allister, who won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, was pivotal to Liverpool’s Premier League-winning campaign last season. The diminutive playmaker has struggled to hit those heights again this term, however.
He’s still a vital player whom Arne Slot obviously trusts. Mac Allister starts almost every game he’s available for, making his Anfield exit seem unlikely. Especially to a huge rival.
Alexis Mac Allister’s 2025/26 stats for Liverpool:
| Competition | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Minutes Played |
| Premier League | 25 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1,735′ |
| Champions League | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 509′ |
| FA Cup | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 178′ |
| EFL Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67′ |
| Community Shield | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19′ |
| Total | 37 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2,508′ |
Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba and Elliot Anderson are the alternatives for Man Utd this summer as they seek a replacement for Casemiro.
Mac Allister has a close bond with one Man Utd star
Lisandro Martinez could be in Mac Allister’s ear this summer over a potential Old Trafford transfer.
The pair will almost certainly be in Argentina’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, meaning they’ll spend the summer together. Mac Allister has openly admitted that they get along well.
“I have a very good relationship with Licha [Martinez]. It’s incredible because he doesn’t score a goal against anyone, but he scores a goal against us. So nothing, I teased him a bit,” he told TNT Sports Mexico after Martinez scored at Anfield in early 2025.
He added: “I’ll probably stop to say hello and chat for a while. And well, I wish him the best. I knew that his wife was pregnant, so I hope he comes back full of joy, good health and that they can be very happy as a family.”
Argentine star rejected Man Utd for Liverpool in 2022
This interest in the 27-year-old isn’t new. Multiple Premier League clubs were interested when it became clear he would leave Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer of 2022.
Man Utd were one of the interested parties, but Mac Allister had his heart set on Anfield. Liverpool won the race after he turned down advances from the Manchester-based outfit, according to The Times.
Mac Allister has already admitted he wants to play in Spain at some point in his career, but it’s hard to imagine him forcing a move to Man Utd. Especially after picking Liverpool over them.
Arne Slot’s No.10 finding form again
It’s been a tough season for Liverpool. The Premier League title race is over, and Champions League qualification isn’t guaranteed.
It’s no coincidence that Mac Allister’s poor form has been at the same time as his club’s troubles. When the former Brighton man plays well, Liverpool tend to win games.
That’s been evident in the past two matches as Mac Allister has been back to his usual self, controlling games and biting into tackles. The Reds have cruised to wins against Sunderland and Brighton while looking a lot more solid in the middle of the park as a result.
Slot didn’t hide how impressed he’d been with the Argentina international during his first season at the club.
Speaking in May 2025, the Liverpool manager waxed lyrical about Mac Allister, saying: “[He’s a] very important player, [has] game intelligence [and is] so comfortable on the ball.
“But what makes him even more special to me is normally players that have so much game inside and are so comfortable on the ball are not as aggressive and intense without the ball.”
“He is one of the few players in the world that combines this great game intelligence, great on the ball, but [with] a tenacity without the ball. In our midfield, he stands out in terms of tenacity,” he concluded.
