Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.
Alexis Mac Allister says there is still “no firm decision” on his future with Liverpool, with the Reds yet to offer the midfielder a new contract.
Earlier this month, Mac Allister made headlines by saying Liverpool had informed him they were not in a position to offer him fresh terms, after he entered the final two years of his deal.
Mac Allister, who has won a Premier League title and the EFL Cup since arriving from Brighton in 2023, said he was “very sad” to have had no negotiations with the club, after his fellow midfielders Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai penned new deals.
Mac Allister has retained a key role for Liverpool since Andoni Iraola took charge, making seven appearances in all competitions this season with five of those being starts.
The 27-year-old has now linked up with Argentina for a series of friendlies against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin, the latter of which will serve as a farewell match for Lionel Messi after he announced his international retirement.
And in an interview with ESPN, Mac Allister said there had been no progress on resolving his contract stand-off.
“There’s no firm decision yet. I still have two years left on my contract. As I said, I’m going to give it my all. A lot can happen in that time; there are plenty of options,” Mac Allister said.
“Hopefully it’ll be for more years, but if it’s just two, I’ll have to enjoy them with my family, because I have no doubt that I’m at one of the best clubs in the world.”
The nature of Messi’s involvement in the game against Benin – set for October 5 at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires – remains unclear, but it will bring the curtain down on one of the all-time great international careers.
Messi has scored 125 goals in 207 appearances for La Albiceleste, with eight of those coming at the 2026 World Cup.
No player has directly contributed to more goals at the World Cup on record (since 1966) than Messi (33 – 21 goals and 12 assists), who has also featured in the most games at the finals (34). Messi’s 12 assists at FIFA’s flagship competition are also the most of any player, four more than the great Diego Maradona (eight, since 1966).
And though he fell narrowly short of delivering a second straight title in North America this year, Mac Allister feels Messi should be in contention for a record-extending ninth Ballon d’Or.
“Obviously, as Argentines we’d love for Messi to win it. He had an incredible World Cup and I don’t see why he shouldn’t be awarded it,” he said.
“Also, it’s understood that these days the numbers play a big part – something that didn’t carry as much weight in the past – and you don’t know exactly what people are voting for either. But everyone in the running is a great player; anyone who comes close will deserve it.
“We all know that Leo has always prioritised the team over individual achievements, so it wouldn’t be a big deal for him.”
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