Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez has heaped praise on midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, fueling further speculation as the Argentine’s long-term future at Anfield remains shrouded in uncertainty.
Alexis Mac Allister was reinstated to the Liverpool starting XI for their Premier League clash with Crystal Palace, with the South American being handed his first league start for Arne Slot’s men since the 2-1 defeat on the road at Brighton and Hove Albion in March.
It was an improved showing from the Premier League champions, as they dispatched Glasner’s men 3-1. However, the scoreline masked a stuttering performance, as Daniel Munoz scored a controversial consolation goal for the South London side.
Mac Allister also stood out during the relatively comfortable win by registering two assists, taking his goal and assist total in the league to six for the season.
While his recent showing against the Eagles was a step in the right direction, the World Cup winner’s overall campaign at Anfield has been marred by inconsistency, headlined by a dismal performance in the Champions League second leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
Indeed, during that 2-0 defeat, Mac Allister would complete only 15 accurate passes all night, a passenger centrally.
Subsequently, with his stock no longer so high on Merseyside, rumours have begun to surface that he could be off in the summer, with 15-time European Champions Real Madrid intrigued by the prospect of snapping up the midfielder.
Alexis Mac Allister: Statistical Comparison
| Metric (Premier League) | 24/25 | 25/26 |
| Appearances | 35 | 33 |
| Goals | 5 | 2 |
| Assists | 5 | 4 |
| Chances created | 45 | 29 |
| Attempted passes | 1426 | 1230 |
| Pass accuracy % | 87.17% | 86.1% |
| Ground duels won | 150 | 84 |
| Interceptions | 22 | 19 |
| Ball recoveries | 148 | 99 |
It’s clear from the table above that the number ten has fallen off somewhat, even if he showed glimpses of his creative best against the Eagles.
He is still clearly catching the eye when it comes to Barcelona icon Xavi, though, with the Spanish legend waxing lyrical about the 27-year-old when recently speaking to former Barcelona striker Romario.
Xavi’s wild praise for Mac Allister
Appearing on the 60-year-old’s YouTube channel, Romario TV, Xavi opened up about a wide range of topics.
One of these discussions centred on who Xavi enjoys watching in the modern game, who is a silky midfielder like he once was, with the former midfielder boldly listing Mac Allister as one of those names.
He said: “There’s Pedri, there’s Vitinha, Mac Allister.
“There’s three or four footballers who, for me, are the best because they understand collective football.
“They understand that when they pass the ball, they are thinking about the next play. Not just passing for the sake of passing, no, they are understanding the game. Even Frenkie de Jong, who for me is very underrated.”
Included alongside the likes of Pedri and Vitinha, who are still playing at the peak of their powers, for their combined ability to make things constantly happen on the ball, it only further reaffirms how much Mac Allister has fallen off in recent times, as he was once genuinely in these world-class conversations.
Now, a departure from Anfield appears inevitable, with Barcelona’s fiercest rivals, Real Madrid reportedly waiting in the wings to secure his signature
Will Mac Allister leave Liverpool?
For the time being, Slot will just hope he can continue getting performances out of his number ten that are of a similar level to his promising display against Palace.
But, looking more ahead into the future, past this season, it does appear as if Mac Allister will walk away from Anfield, with no progress being made on contract talks.
Moreover, with reports stating that Liverpool will freshen up their camp this summer with some sales, it wouldn’t be the greatest shock in the world to see the 27-year-old be moved on, after a three-season stint on Merseyside.
He is also on the radar of Atletico Madrid, alongside Los Blancos.
Therefore, a sale might well occur in the summer, as the Argentine playmaker potentially gets to call La Liga home, as Xavi did.
