Alexis Mac Allister reveals he nearly quit Liverpool this summer and is ‘very sad’ over missing new contract

Alexis Mac Allister has openly admitted that he came close to leaving Liverpool during the summer transfer window and expressed clear disappointment that the club has so far declined to offer him an improved contract. The 27-year-old Argentina international watched midfield colleagues Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch put pen to paper on fresh deals while his own situation remained unresolved, leaving him feeling sidelined despite his consistent efforts on the pitch and in training.

Speaking candidly, Mac Allister confirmed there had been genuine opportunities for him to depart Anfield. “There was a chance,” he said. “As everyone knows, I received the news that the club was not in a position to offer me a new contract which of course makes me very, very sad. Because everyone can see I give 100 per cent for this football club every single day. In training and games. I can have good games, bad games, like everyone – but I always give my best. I see Dominik and Ryan renew their contracts. That makes me very happy because they deserve it but also at the same time it makes me very sad I didn’t get mine.”

The midfielder, who still has two years remaining on his existing deal including the current campaign, insisted that supporters need not be concerned about his commitment. He will continue to give everything until his final day at the club and currently believes he remains at the right place. Options to leave existed in the summer, yet he chose to stay. At the same time he acknowledged the personal frustration of seeing teammates rewarded while his own future was left in limbo.

Mac Allister suggested there remains a possibility that Liverpool could revisit their stance, though he was careful not to raise expectations. “Maybe, I don’t know. It depends on how I perform during these years. Like every football player. And they have a right to make their decision as well. But as I said, the fans do not need to worry because I am going to give my 100 per cent and hopefully or maybe they will change their minds.” By the time his present contract expires he will be approaching his 30th birthday, a stage of a player’s career when longer-term security often becomes a greater priority.

Reflecting on his three seasons at Liverpool, Mac Allister described the period as highly successful. The team has experienced difficult moments yet also lifted the Premier League title and the Carabao Cup during his time at the club. He feels he has contributed meaningfully and does not believe he has anything major left to prove, although he accepts the need to maintain a high level of performance. “In my three years at the club, I have done very good things, we went through difficult times and won a Premier League and Carabao Cup. For me it has been a very successful period of my life, I don’t think I have to prove something but of course I need to show my level.”

His affection for the club, the supporters and the city itself remains undiminished. Mac Allister noted that some players can become complacent after long spells at one club and lose sight of their surroundings, but that has not happened in his case. He continues to recognise Liverpool as an amazing club and regards the city as a special place to live and work. That emotional connection appears to have played a part in his decision to remain patient rather than force an exit when opportunities arose earlier in the summer.

The comments come at a transitional moment for the club. Liverpool are due to host Atletico Madrid on Wednesday evening in what will be head coach Andoni Iraola’s first Champions League match in charge. The Basque manager has already indicated that Mac Allister’s desire to stay is the most important factor and confirmed that he rates the midfielder very highly. Iraola’s public backing provides a measure of reassurance amid the uncertainty surrounding the player’s contract.

Meanwhile new signing Bradley Barcola is pushing for increased involvement after making a substitute appearance in the 2-0 victory at Ipswich last Friday. The forward’s integration into the squad continues as Iraola begins to shape his preferred combinations for the demanding weeks ahead. Mac Allister’s situation forms part of the wider backdrop as the new coach assesses his midfield options and the squad’s longer-term composition.

For Liverpool the handling of Mac Allister’s contract will be watched closely by supporters who have come to value his composure, tactical intelligence and big-game temperament. The player himself has struck a measured tone, combining honest disappointment with repeated assurances of full commitment. He has avoided any suggestion of an ultimatum and instead framed the coming seasons as an opportunity to influence the club’s thinking through his performances.

The contrast with Szoboszlai and Gravenberch is unavoidable. Both have secured extensions, signalling the club’s confidence in their futures, while Mac Allister waits. Whether that waiting period ends in a revised offer or eventually leads to a departure remains open. What is clear from his latest remarks is that the Argentine intends to approach every training session and match with the same intensity that has characterised his time at Anfield so far.

In the short term attention turns to the Champions League fixture against Atletico Madrid. Iraola will look to his experienced midfielders, including Mac Allister, to help set the tone in a competition that demands consistency and control. The manager’s positive assessment of the player suggests he remains central to immediate plans even if longer-term contractual questions linger.

Mac Allister’s willingness to discuss the matter publicly may also serve as a quiet reminder of his value. By emphasising his daily effort, his past contributions and his genuine attachment to the club, he has placed the focus on performance and loyalty rather than confrontation. Liverpool retain the right to manage their wage structure and squad planning as they see fit, just as the player retains the right to consider his own future when the time is right.

For now the midfielder’s message is straightforward. He is sad not to have been offered a new deal, he came close to leaving in the summer, yet he still believes he is at the right club and will continue to give everything. How that stance is received inside the club, and whether it eventually prompts a change of approach, will unfold over the course of the season. In the meantime Mac Allister prepares to pull on the Liverpool shirt once again, determined to show the level that first convinced the club to bring him to Anfield three years ago.