Paul Ince has put Liverpool's problems in blunt terms. He also singled out Alexis Mac Allister as part of what he sees as a wider dip, while Real Madrid are reportedly keeping the midfielder near the top of their shortlist if major departures open the door. Ince's view is clear enough: this is not a small repair job.
Ince's case against Liverpool's season
Speaking to football365.com, Ince said: "There is a massive revamp to do at Liverpool. A big revamp." He added that when he looked at Liverpool last season, "I just thought it wasn't right. There were a lot of issues there."
His criticism was not limited to the team as a whole. Ince said the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Mac Allister were "absolutely fantastic, outstanding" in Arne Slot's first season, but "last season, I thought they were poor." That is a strong line, but it is backed by Liverpool's own numbers. They finished fifth in the Premier League with 60 points from 38 matches.
The source material also says Slot was sacked and replaced by Andoni Iraola, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate departed on free transfers to Tottenham and Real Madrid, and Mohamed Salah was released amid rumours teams in Saudi Arabia and the USA want him. Those details point to a club in flux, even if each individual move should be treated carefully.
Madrid's interest in Mac Allister
The other half of the story is Madrid's interest. Sergio Valentin of football365.com said: "If there are any major departures, the name Real Madrid likes for the midfield position is Alexis Mac Allister."
That fits a side that finished second in La Liga with 86 points from 38 matches. Madrid are not shopping for a rescue plan, they are shopping for upgrades, which is why Mac Allister sits in that conversation rather than as a speculative add-on.
Mac Allister's World Cup numbers also give the link some footballing sense. He has made 6 appearances, logged 566 minutes, scored 1 goal and provided 1 assist. Those are not headline-grabbing totals on their own, but they do show a player trusted in big matches and still contributing at a high level.
For Liverpool, the more awkward part is that this is not just a transfer story about one player. It is a rebuild story with a major club openly being described as one that needs a revamp, and a midfielder good enough to attract Madrid interest sitting right in the middle of it. That is the part worth watching as the market moves on.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →