Alexis Mac Allister set to take Liverpool No 10 shirt but Reds face three issues

Jurgen Klopp reviews Liverpool's 4-4 draw with Southampton

Alexis Mac Allister appears Liverpool bound after the Brighton midfielder said a teary farewell to the south coast club on Sunday. The Argentina international was consoled by his manager and his team-mates after breaking down after full time on the final day of the Premier League season.

Mac Allister ended his third season as a Brighton regular with 12 goals and three assists in 40 appearances, having also won the World Cup in Qatar midway through the campaign. Liverpool have made the South American their top target as they rebuild their midfield and inject some fresh energy into the centre of their team.

And the 24-year-old is expected to become a Liverpool player in the coming weeks as Jurgen Klopp’s first signing summer. Upon a £60million move to Anfield, Mac Allister should inherit the vacant No 10 shirt which has not been worn by anyone since Sadio Mane left 12 months ago.

While he wears the No 20 for Argentina, with Lionel Messi wearing the 10, Mac Allister has always worn the latter number at Brighton. And given it is free ahead of the 2023-24 season, he should take it to follow on from the likes of John Barnes, Luis Garcia, Philippe Coutinho and Mane.

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But the Reds also have several other iconic jerseys that become vacant before next season. The free transfer departures of James Milner, Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino means No 7, No 8 and No 9 will all be free too.

And Liverpool will have several players eager to claim the iconic numbers. Luis Diaz wore the seven shirt at Porto for three years before heading to Liverpool in January 2022, and might fancy himself as its next owner on Merseyside.

There are less obvious picks for No 8 shirt although Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones, both scousers like the number’s most iconic wearer Steven Gerrard, are contenders. Alexander-Arnold may not want to drop the No 66 which he has made his own, though.

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With Liverpool set to sign several new midfielders this summer, an entirely new player might take it up. And Cody Gakpo, signed from PSV in January, could be an outside shout. He is currently the occupier of the same strip for the Netherlands, though he also been a No 7 and a No 9 for his country too.

Given Diogo Jota’s iconic Anfield chant mentions him wearing the No 20, the Portuguese might not want to switch to the nine shirt. Gakpo is a potential player to take it on, but the likeliest might be Darwin Nunez who was Benfica’s No 9 before taking on the 27 in England.

The Uruguayan will hope to build on his 15-goal debut season next year. Elsewhere, the No 15 will become free with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain leaving as will the No 29 held by the on-loan Arthur Melo. Stefan Bajcetic could be one of several players to get a lower number.

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