Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has made clear he wants both Alexis Mac Allister and Alisson to remain at Anfield ahead of the new season.
Mac Allister, 27, signed a five-year contract when he joined Liverpool from Brighton in 2023, leaving him with two years remaining on his current deal.
The Argentina international has yet to begin talks over a contract extension, which has fuelled speculation linking him with a summer departure from the club.
Iraola addressed the situation directly at a news conference in Chicago at the start of Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States.
“I think Alexis has been one of the best players at the club for the last few years, and he has had a very good World Cup, so it is normal that other clubs want our best players,” Iraola said.
“It always happens in other markets. But I want to keep my good players. I’m looking forward more to signing new players rather than losing the ones we have here.”
Alisson faces a different contractual situation, with just one year remaining on his deal, and the 33-year-old Brazilian has been linked with a move to Juventus.
Despite that speculation, Iraola is keen to retain the goalkeeper and pointed to the importance of experienced figures within the dressing room this season.
“Alisson is someone also in a changing room that has lost some references in terms of experience, I think he’s someone that definitely will help us in this process of adaptation of the new signings, of the new players, the young players,” the Spaniard explained.
“We need the references like Virgil [van Dijk], like Alisson, like Joe Gomez, players that have been here for a long time,” he added, underlining the value he places on continuity within his squad.
Iraola also turned his attention to Liverpool’s defensive situation, acknowledging the club are actively seeking reinforcements during the summer transfer window.
Conor Bradley sustained a knee injury in January and remains unavailable, with Iraola confirming the Northern Ireland international is still “months” away from returning to action.
“At the end, if you have a fully fit, healthy Conor Bradley, we are very happy, ready to go and we would not be asking ourselves these questions,” Iraola said.
“I think it’s a situation that is tricky, because we trust Conor in the long term, we know we want him to be our right-back but right now he is still, I would say, a little bit far from returning,” he continued.
“So, with the centre-back, with the right-back situation, in terms of defensive depth, we are, I think, very thin right now so I think it’s a solution that we are trying to find, yes,” Iraola concluded, signalling that defensive business remains a priority before the window closes.
