There are quieter ways to make a case for a new contract than scoring twice in a seven-goal Champions League thriller. Alexis Mac Allister chose the noisy option against Villarreal, even if Liverpool’s stance on his future remains unchanged.
The Argentine helped drag Andoni Iraola’s side from 2-0 down to a thrilling 4-3 victory at Anfield on Tuesday. Yet according to The Telegraph’s Dominic King, Liverpool are still “not in any rush” to open fresh contract talks with their No.10, whose existing deal expires in June 2028.
That seems a rather curious position after a night like this.
Liverpool were two goals behind inside half an hour, undone first by Virgil van Dijk’s misplaced header and then a slick Villarreal counter-attack.
Mac Allister began the rescue act in the 36th minute, glancing Kostas Tsimikas‘ corner into the far corner. After Ronald Araujo equalised, he arrived at precisely the right moment to convert Rio Ngumoha’s delivery off the crossbar and put Liverpool ahead. Florian Wirtz added a fourth before Villarreal struck late.
Mac Allister since Liverpool refused to give him a new contract https://t.co/2ywRJiftT2
— Tandy (@LFC_Tandy) October 20, 2026
The second goal was particularly telling. Ngumoha did the spectacular work out wide, but Mac Allister’s run into the area showed the anticipation that makes him much more than a tidy passer in midfield.
Interestingly, all eight of Mac Allister’s Champions League goals for Liverpool have come at Anfield, including his winner against Real Madrid last season.
His contract situation, however, has been considerably less enjoyable.
In September, the World Cup winner admitted he was “very sad” Liverpool had not offered him an extension, particularly after fellow midfielders Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch secured new deals.
Mac Allister revealed he had opportunities to leave over the summer but chose to stay. Having joined from Brighton for £35million in 2023, the 27-year-old is now approaching the final 20 months of his agreement.
The contract question also falls to a changed Liverpool hierarchy.
Julian Ward returned as sporting director in September, replacing Richard Hughes. Assistant sporting director David Woodfine remains part of the football operation, while Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon resumed greater oversight following Michael Edwards’ departure.
For now, the hierarchy appears content to wait.
There is some justification for that caution. Mac Allister struggled during Arne Slot’s final season, something he acknowledged after the Villarreal match. Speaking to Amazon Prime, he admitted that “something wasn’t right in the group” last term and credited Iraola with changing the approach.
The improvement has been noticeable. Mac Allister already has four goals this season, just one fewer than his entire haul from the previous campaign.
Meanwhile, his father and agent, Carlos Mac Allister, dismissed suggestions of contact from Real Madrid, insisting his son remains committed to Liverpool.
That leaves Ward, Gordon and the rest of Liverpool’s decision-makers with time to consider their next move.
Mac Allister, meanwhile, is making rather effective use of his time on the pitch. That perfectly judged run onto Ngumoha’s cross was another reminder of just how much Liverpool’s midfield would miss him.
