Alexis Mac Allister has shown his true respect for Liverpool and club legend Steven Gerrard after revealing that he turned down the chance to wear the iconic No 8 shirt. Mac Allister is raring to go at Anfield after making the move from Brighton in a £35million deal earlier this summer.
Upon signing for the Premier League giants, Mac Allister was reportedly given the option of donning Gerrard’s iconic shirt number but after an honest chat with his former footballing father Carlos, he decided against the opportunity.
Immense pressure comes with taking on the No 8 shirt, something which Naby Keita struggled to deal with following his big-money move from RB Leipzig in 2018.
Mac Allister told the Mirror: “One day, I was talking to my dad when he asked me what number I would wear for Liverpool,” said Mac Allister. I knew there were several numbers available – including 10 and 8.
“The No 8 shirt is a very important number in that club because of Gerrard, so I hesitated a bit. I ended up choosing the 10, but 8 is a number that I like a lot and has a history at the club.”
The Argentine World Cup winner will now follow in the footsteps of the likes of John Barnes, Michael Owen and Sadio Mane in wearing the No 10 shirt, which means there will be plenty of pressure in that jersey too.
But Mac Allister is raring to get to work at Anfield as the Reds bid to bounce back in style following a very disappointing 2023-23 campaign, which saw them miss out on Champions League football.
The 24-year-old had interest elsewhere, notably from the likes of Man Utd, but he has admitted that the chance to work with Jurgen Klopp was too good to turn down.
The midfielder added: “After the season ended, I had the chance to talk to Klopp and he told me about the club, the city and what he wanted. The main thing was that from the first moment they communicated with my family and with me, they wanted me to be there.
“When I was able to speak with the coach, it was made even clearer. It’s the small details that made me choose Liverpool. I feel that it is the right step in my career.”
Mac Allister’s competitive debut for Liverpool could come against Chelsea in what is a mouth-watering opening Premier League encounter. Reds fans can’t wait to see their new man in action and will be desperate he gets off to a fast start.
