Liverpool have been told not to deal with “annoying” Real Madrid after a swap between Alexis Mac Allister and Arda Guler was rumoured.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Reports in Spain claimed that the move was a possibility this week, with Real Madrid eyeing up Mac Allister as their long-term replacement for Luka Modric. But former Red winger Jermaine Pennant insists it is a deal the club must avoid
WHAT PENNANT SAID
Pennant told Makthavare: “Real Madrid keep trying to pinch Liverpool’s players, they’re annoying! I hope they don’t take Alexis MacAllister this summer, although you can imagine he’d settle in there well with the language and culture, it’d make him feel a bit closer to home. He’s such an important player for Liverpool and he’s quite often the unsung hero, he makes the team tick. He’s not like Xabi Alonso who sprays 60-yard passes around the pitch, but he’s very clever with his smaller passes and has an eye for goal himself. I hope that this transfer doesn’t materialise. Arda Guler has been mentioned in a swap deal, and I think he’s a great player and would be a good addition, but for me, he wouldn’t fill that gap.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Mac Allister has spent just two seasons on Merseyside since moving from Brighton and is set to win his first Premier League winner’s medal this term. Guler has made 34 appearances for Real Madrid this season but has generally been limited to minutes as a substitute.
WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL AND REAL MADRID?
Liverpool play Leicester away in the Premier League on Sunday, where they could secure the title if Arsenal lose at Ipswich earlier in the day. Real take on Athletic Club in La Liga on Sunday as they aim to cut the four-point gap to Barcelona.