Mauricio Pochettino has already discussed Liverpool target Alexis Mac Allister as a potential target ahead of signing a contract as Chelsea’s next manager it has been reported.
This update comes courtesy of Miguel Delaney at the Independent, with the Argentine understood to be already drawing up broad plans for the club’s transfer strategy this summer.
Part of that approach will be to look internally at the club’s available talent, with the former Tottenham head coach a huge admirer of another Reds transfer target in Mason Mount.
Could Chelsea keep Mason Mount and beat Liverpool to Alexis Mac Allister?
It’s a dreaded scenario for Liverpool, though one a section of the fanbase will no doubt be contemplating after some pretty heavy spending on the Blues’ part and some sensationally long contracts awarded.
UEFA have already made efforts to clamp down on such efforts to sidestep FFP, of course, and the club itself is thought to be keen on offloading certain stars to clear room in the budget in order for their incoming manager to enjoy some level of manoeuvrability in the market.
On the Mac Allister front, Fabrizio Romano has already confirmed that Liverpool’s discussions with the player are ‘advanced’ (CaughtOffside), so it would seemingly take a stunning u-turn on the part of either party to not see that deal to fruition.
Mount is a comparatively more complex situation in light of the player’s long-standing ties to Stamford Bridge and the arrival of Pochettino.
The ex-PSG coach could conceivably convince the energetic central midfielder to remain in London and help spearhead a new dawn, though it’s difficult to see such an eventuality occurring whilst the contractual impasse remains in place.
By contrast, if one report from Football Insider back in April is on the mark, we seem prepared to supply the difference – add on top the possibility of European football (and potentially Champions League football) and Anfield does look the more attractive destination.
It looks set to be 1-0 to ourselves ahead of the opening of the summer window, though it remains to be seen whether Liverpool can double the scoreline by June.