Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi has admitted that he is still upset about selling Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool this summer.
The Argentine midfielder was Jurgen Klopp’s first signing of the window this off-season as Liverpool splashed £35m to bring Mac Allister to Anfield.
Hailed by Emile Heskey as a ‘fantastic’ signing, the 24-year-old’s Liverpool career has been unusual, with Klopp deploying Mac Allister as the deepest player in his midfield-three.
Despite this new role, De Zerbi has now admitted via TNT Sports that he is missing the South American at Brighton, with the Seagulls also losing Moises Caicedo in a British record transfer to Chelsea.
De Zerbi said on Brighton’s summer sales: “I’m sorry to lose great players; Caicedo, Mac Allister, but I know very well that I’m working and this is the philosophy of the club.
“We are playing with four attackers. Last season Mac Allister often played as a no. 10, and so we had more control of the game. Now, we are playing with four attacker, Pedro, Fati, Ferguson and Welbeck. They are not no. 10s. When they get the ball, they want to score.”
Liverpool need to recapture Alexis Mac Allister’s form for Brighton
Few people would have predicted what Mac Allister has now become at Liverpool, and the Reds need to now help recapture the form that made the midfielder such a star at Brighton.
Playing in a deeper role provides no real benefit for either Mac Allister or Liverpool, and the sooner Klopp realises this, the better off the Anfield side will be going forward.
Indeed, Mac Allister has shown for both Brighton and Argentina that he thrives further up the pitch and creating chances for his attacking teammates, as well as taking them.
And the longer Liverpool continue this defensive midfield experiment, the more fans will become frustrated with Mac Allister, who we all know can do better than what he has done this season.
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