Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister has said the club told him last season they weren’t planning to renew his contract. It was a painful conversation for the Argentine, who still wants to stay at Anfield.

The 27-year-old has around 18 months left on his current deal. He’s once again spoken openly about what happened behind the scenes, how he reacted and why he hasn’t given up hope of staying.

There’s an interesting detail, too. Mac Allister says Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch were in similar contractual situations, but Liverpool decided to extend their deals.

He clearly hasn’t forgotten that difference in treatment. Still, he believes things could change, especially after several changes behind the scenes.

Mac Allister reveals Liverpool’s decision and his reaction

Speaking to Argentine journalist Gastón Edul, in an interview recorded at his home, Mac Allister was asked about his future after the presenters mentioned how much Liverpool supporters wanted him to stay.

He began by acknowledging the affection he receives at Anfield, before explaining the situation with his contract.

“First of all, obviously, I feel that affection from the fans, and that’s something incredible for me. It’s not easy at a club like Liverpool to be appreciated the way I am.”

“I enjoy it a lot, and obviously winning a Premier League title with this club is something very special, something the fans don’t forget.”

“Obviously, we’re in a situation where I have a year and a half left on my contract, and last season I was told that the club’s idea was not to renew it, at least for now. And obviously, that was a painful, unpleasant situation.”

Asked whether the news had affected him emotionally, the midfielder explained how he managed to deal with it.

“Not that much, because at the end of the day, I still had, and still have, time left at this club, which is what I want most – to stay here.”

“The reality is that the manager has now changed, the sporting director has changed, and new investors are coming into the club.”

“So I think I’m now in a position where anything can happen. We’ll see what happens in the future. I’ve always said that I’m very happy here, that I really enjoy it, and we’ll see.”

His preference couldn’t be much clearer. Despite the disappointment, Mac Allister isn’t presenting himself as someone desperate to leave. He wants Liverpool to reconsider.

Szoboszlai and Gravenberch received different treatment

The presenters wondered whether it was normal for a club to tell a player so far in advance that his contract wouldn’t be extended.

Mac Allister explained that such conversations are common in European football. He then brought up two of his Liverpool teammates.

“Yes, these things are generally handled like that here. In fact, look at Szoboszlai and Gravenberch. They’re two players who were in the same contractual situation as me, and when I was told that, they renewed their contracts.”

“So it was more a position taken by the club, and generally that’s how things are done.”

“At the end of the day, as a club, you don’t want to lose a lot of money, and you don’t want players leaving on free transfers either.”

“That’s basically the idea, or how things work here in Europe in general. That’s also why the situation happened.”

He doesn’t say why Liverpool made that distinction. There’s no explanation of whether age, wages, sporting considerations or anything else influenced the decision. And he doesn’t accuse the club of treating him unfairly.

In fact, he went out of his way to make that clear.

“I don’t judge the decision they made. I was just expressing my own emotions and feelings, and now we move forward.”

He also understands the financial thinking behind contract management. His comments suggest he sees the situation as part of football, even if it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. The question now is whether Liverpool still hold the same position.

When the presenters suggested the decision could change, Mac Allister didn’t hesitate.

“Yes, yes, of course. I think it can always change. Until the moment comes when my contract expires, anything can change.”

“And as I said, a new sporting director, a new manager and new investors. You never know.”

There is no suggestion in the interview that fresh contract negotiations have started. Mac Allister is talking about a possibility, and the changes at Liverpool have given him some hope.

Midfielder also opens up about Liverpool’s difficult season

Elsewhere in the conversation, Mac Allister discussed his own form and Liverpool’s performances. He was asked how he felt after several years playing in the Premier League.

“To be honest, I’m in a great place. It’s true that last season was a difficult one for us, for the club and for the team in general. But this season we’re doing well again, we’re up there. We’ve got a very important game this weekend.”

“Personally, I’ve been feeling very good”, he said.

The presenters then asked whether Liverpool had improved compared with the previous campaign. Mac Allister suggested the problems had gone beyond the quality of the players available.

“Look, clubs like Liverpool, the biggest clubs, always have a lot of quality. The reality is that we had that last season too, so that’s not an excuse.”

“But other things happened which unfortunately meant we weren’t doing well as a team. And today I think we’ve recovered some of that.”

“I think we’re doing well as a group, as a team. We know very well what we have to do, so we’re in a better situation.”

He didn’t elaborate on those other problems, so there’s little point guessing what he meant. What stands out is his emphasis on the collective side of Liverpool’s improvement.

Mac Allister wants Liverpool stay but admits Argentina return appeals

The midfielder also discussed the possibility of returning to Argentine football later in his career. He has already represented Argentinos Juniors and Boca Juniors, and both clubs clearly mean a lot to him.

Asked whether he would like to play in Argentina again, he replied:

“To be honest, I’d like to. More than anything, as a way of showing gratitude. Argentinos is the club that gave everything to me and my family, and obviously I’d love to.”

“I also have a bit of unfinished business with Boca, obviously, because my time there was so short.”

Mac Allister even mentioned Deportivo Mac Allister, his family’s club in La Pampa, as another possibility.

He spoke about the family ambition of taking the club into Argentina’s top division and potentially sharing the pitch with his brothers. There is a personal side to his thinking as well.

“Definitely, it’s not just about playing football. I’d also like to live there. Having spent so many years in Europe, I really appreciate our country.”

Mac Allister picks Julián Álvarez for Liverpool

There was also a lighter moment towards the end of the interview. During a quick-fire question round, Mac Allister was asked which Argentina international he would bring to Liverpool. And he was quick:

“Julián Álvarez.”

He also spoke about his willingness to take responsibility on the pitch. Discussing a recent penalty shootout, he explained that the manager had selected him to take the first kick.

“It was the manager’s decision. Obviously, if that hadn’t been the decision, I would have asked to take one anyway.

“It was the first penalty shootout we’ve had with this manager, and he decided that. I was happy. I like taking responsibility, and luckily it went well.”

Later, when asked who he would trust to take a penalty if his life depended on it, he gave another immediate answer.

“Alexis Mac Allister,” he said. So a little confidence certainly isn’t lacking.