Chelsea have just made a last minute move to pinch World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister from the clutches of Liverpool.
That is according to Paul Joyce of The Times.
So, what are the details involving Chelsea and Alexis Mac Allister? Let’s take a look…
What’s the story?
Well, it is said that Pochettino just made a late move to sign his fellow Argentine for Chelsea.
However, Mac Allister already had his heart set on joining Liverpool, and a £35m deal has just been announced by the Reds.
The Times are a very strong source, so this update comes as a shock based on what was previously written about the South American by another reliable outlet – Football London.
They claimed that Chelsea had cooled their initial interest in Mac Allister, with the Blues choosing to take a step back and focus on the likes of Manuel Ugarte, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.
Therefore, it could be argued that Pochettino had a late change of heart about the Argentina international, but ultimately, it was too late as Liverpool made significant progress in negotiations.
Interest in Mac Allister comes after he enjoyed a superb 2022/23 campaign, helping Argentina win the World Cup in Qatar while also scoring ten goals in 35 Premier League appearances.
Mac Allister would have been a bargain for Chelsea
In our view, we can see why Pochettino decided to go back in for Mac Allister – the £35m fee is a bargain for a player of his quality.
The 24-year-old can play in numerous midfield roles, and provides a genuine goal threat from any of those areas.
Of course, if Chelsea end up signing the likes of Caicedo and Lavia, few supporters will care about missing out on Mac Allister.
However, if we now face problems in our quest to bolster the midfield, many will wonder why Todd Boehly didn’t seriously pursue Mac Allister for a sum of just £35m.