Manchester City have made contact with Alexis Mac Allister’s representatives as they explore a move for the Liverpool midfielder, with head coach Enzo Maresca keen to bolster his options in the middle of the park should Rodri leave the Etihad Stadium this summer.
The Spain international has been strongly linked with a departure, and City are said to be lining up the Argentina World Cup winner as cover in case that exit materialises.
City’s move for Mac Allister – report
Mac Allister, 27, has been a mainstay for Liverpool since arriving on Merseyside in 2023, helping the Reds win the Premier League title and the EFL Cup.
According to Football365, City have identified the midfielder as a serious option and have already reached out to his camp to gauge interest in a switch across the Pennines.
The report, citing journalist Matt Thielen, states that City have opened dialogue as they draw up contingency plans for Rodri’s future.
Thielen, editor-in-chief of LFC Transfer Room, posted on X: “EXCL: Manchester City have made contact with Alexis Mac Allister’s camp to explore a potential move for the Liverpool midfielder.
“Mac Allister is on City’s shortlist of potential reinforcements should Rodri leave the club.”
For Maresca, who took charge at the Etihad this summer after succeeding Pep Guardiola, the pursuit of a top-class holding midfielder would represent an early statement of intent as he looks to shape the squad in his own image.
The Italian, who previously worked under Guardiola as the club’s assistant coach and also had a spell in charge of the Elite Development Squad, knows City’s midfield requirements better than most.
Mac Allister’s ball-carrying, tempo-setting qualities would fit the profile City have long looked for as a long-term successor to Rodri.
Any move, though, is likely to prove costly and complicated. Liverpool have shown no obvious desire to sell one of their most reliable performers, and City would face competition from elsewhere in Europe for a player who has consistently been linked with a move to Real Madrid over the past year.
Rodri’s future takes a twist
The scramble for a potential replacement stems from uncertainty over Rodri’s own situation. The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner is out of contract at the Etihad in the summer of 2027, and there has so far been little indication that he intends to sign a new deal.
Real Madrid had long been considered the frontrunners to land the Spaniard, but that picture has shifted, with Barcelona now understood to be in pole position.
TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey reported that Real have opted to step back from the chase after being informed Rodri favoured a move to the Catalan club instead.
“Real were somewhat shocked by the news from Rodri and his camp that Barcelona had emerged as a potentially better landing spot, and they were informed of that earlier this week,” Bailey said.
“They had spent weeks, if not months, outlining the role they wanted Rodri to play both on and off the pitch. He was one of their primary targets long before Jose Mourinho was appointed.
“Mourinho was fully behind the move, but both the management and the club’s hierarchy are completely aligned in their decision to back away.
“Their stance is very simple. If you’re not fully committed to Real Madrid, then that’s absolutely fine, but you’re not the player they want. They wish Rodri well, but they only wanted him if he genuinely saw his future at the Bernabeu.
“Real are adamant they are walking away, and Rodri’s camp accepts that. The immediate consequence is that Manchester City once again lose the leverage of having two major clubs competing for his signature.”
That development leaves City in a more delicate position. With only one major suitor now in the running for Rodri, City’s ability to command a premium fee — or persuade him to stay — has been weakened, according to the report.
It also increases the urgency behind any move for Mac Allister, with Maresca eager to ensure his midfield is not left short if Rodri’s Etihad exit is confirmed before the transfer window closes.
