Liverpool move for Barcelona star to partner Alexis Mac Allister

Stuart Telford

6 Jun 2023 14:52 BST
3 min read

The Liverpool badge next to a white silhouette of Youri Tielemans, set against a backdrop of a panorama of Anfield in red — © ProShots

Liverpool will sign Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton and haven't finished bolstering their midfield at that, with a bid reportedly lodged for Barcelona's Franck Kessie.

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Liverpool endured an abject season in 2022/23, finishing outside of the Champions League places for the first time in seven years, and midfield was perhaps the area of the squad that has required most surgery.

James Milner - to Brighton - Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will all leave the club on expiry of their contracts at the end of June, while Jude Bellingham - for a long time Jurgen Klopp's top transfer target - now looks bound for Real Madrid.

READ: Revealed: Liverpool's bargain Alexis Mac Allister transfer fee

Suffice to say, the Reds need more than one body in midfield, as talented as Argentina World Cup winner Mac Allister is. And Kessie is next in line according to reports in Spain and Italy.

© ProShots - Kessie has been restricted to the bench since joining Barcelona from AC Milan last summer.

Barca ready to cash in on Kessie

"Barca have received an offer from Liverpool of around €35m and could close his signing if the player gives the OK," write Spanish daily newspaper, Sport. "Kessie has a huge market in Italy and Inter tried to loan him in January, but Barca didn't let him leave."

Kessie joined Barcelona on a free transfer from AC Milan last summer, but found Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi and Pedri blocking his path to first-team minutes at the Camp Nou.

READ: Lewandowski A, Bellerin F: Grading every Barcelona signing this season

The Ivory Coast international is valued at €39.3m by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm and the club are understandably keen to cash in having been told by La Liga to raise €200m if they want to defend their title next season.

Nominally a defensive midfielder, Kessie has nonetheless averaged more than four progressive passes received per 90 minutes played over the last year, and could easily line up as one of the pivots either side of Fabinho in Klopp's preferred 4-3-3 at Anfield.