Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola made clear at a news conference in Chicago that he wants to keep midfielder Alexis Mac Allister and goalkeeper Alisson at Anfield, even as both players field interest from other clubs.
Mac Allister, 27, has two years remaining on the five-year contract he signed when he joined Liverpool from Brighton in 2023. He has not yet begun talks over an extension, which has fueled speculation about a summer departure. Alisson, 33, has one year left on his deal and has been linked with Italian club Juventus.
Iraola, speaking at the start of Liverpool's preseason tour of the United States, addressed both situations directly. "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. "I 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."
On Alisson, Iraola was equally direct. "I'm very happy with the situation we have right now in the goalkeeping area," he explained. "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. We need the references like Virgil [van Dijk], like Alisson, like Joe Gomez, players that have been here for a long time."
The manager also acknowledged that the club has real needs in defense, particularly at right-back. Bradley sustained a knee injury in January and remains unavailable. Iraola said the Northern Ireland international is still "months" away from returning. "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," he said.
Iraola described the current defensive depth as thin. "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," he said. He had also previously noted the club has "obvious" areas to address in the transfer market, according to ESPN.
Liverpool's preseason continues in the United States before the new Premier League season begins next month. New signing João Gomes made his debut for Aston Villa, one of Liverpool's rivals, in a 5-0 preseason win at Walsall.
