Liverpool ‘would have £35m transfer bid accepted’ as new best Jude Bellingham backup plan clear

Liverpool have learned the rough transfer fee for a Jude Bellingham backup option who would inject plenty of desirable traits into Jürgen Klopp’s midfield.

Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister emerged as one of the surprιse star performers in the latter stages of Argentina’s road to World Cup glory.

With the likes of Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria, Enzo Fernández and Emiliano Martínez grabbing most of the limelight in the earlier rounds of the competition, Mac Allister really come to the fore the further Argentina progressed.

The 24-year-old was sublime in the semi-final against Croatia and produced a marvellous display in the final against France, cementing his status as one of the best midfielders at the tournament.

Naturally, this has in turn led to speculation surrounding his future with Brighton. Mac Allister has been with the coastal outfit since 2019, when he signed from Diego Maradona’s old club, Argentinos Juniors.

Mac Allister has proved indispensable over the last two seasons, and his performances in Qatar have caught the eye of many of the biggest clubs in Europe, supposedly including Liverpool.

According to Italian outlet La Repubblica, Liverpool have targeted Mac Allister, as too have Juventus and Benfica. The reports states that Juventus’ first target is Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinković-Savić, but that Max Allegri is a fan of Mac Allister’s, and wants to bring him to Turin.

La Repubblica also believe that Brighton would accept a figure of between £31m (€35m/$37m) and £35m (€40m/$42m) for the Argentine.

Despite his stellar performances for his country at the World Cup, it’s doubtful that Liverpool will have Mac Allister at the very top of their wish-list. All roads are seeming to lead to a mega transfer bid for Jude Bellingham in the summer, and perhaps also for Mac Allister’s compatriot Fernández — though this latter possibility appears to be waning, at least for the time being.

However, the baттle to sign those two will be fierce, and there is a good chance Liverpool will miss out on signing one or both of them. Should that happen, then the club will have to pivot and look at their next tier of transfer targets, and this is where Mac Allister could come in.

Mac Allister, Sofyan Amrabat, Eljif Elmas and Ismaël Bennacer would all likely be on that level; less experience than Bellingham or Fernández, and duly cheaper, but also not as good. Yet there is no doubt that Mac Allister could still prove useful to Liverpool and Jürgen Klopp.

An able shuttler capable of running up and down the pitch, not afraid to do the dirty part of the game, he would be a perfect signing in terms of improving Liverpool’s depth in midfield, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keïta likely to move on in the summer. He wouldn’t be a marquee transfer signing, but Mac Allister would have a role.