Liverpool could revitalise their midfield to full intensity should they succeed in their pursuit of Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, according to The Redman TV's Paul Machin.
What's the latest on Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool?
Jurgen Klopp's Reds are leading the race for the Argentine World Cup winner, according to the likes of transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, with an agreement on personal terms believed to be all but complete.
The Seagulls, who will join Liverpool in the Europa League next season, have touted the 24-year-old at £70m and the Merseyside outfit appear set to meet the valuation, beating the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United to his signature.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Machin waxed lyrical over the dynamic midfielder and hinted that Mac Allister is the perfect heir to Gini Wijnaldum's position in the team, with the industrious midfielder departing on a free transfer in 2021.
Machin said: "The weird thing about Gini Wijnaldum is I think the role has changed. It was a very functional role for Liverpool that Wijnaldum played and not many footballers have got that kind of capability.
"I actually see Mac Allister as being a Gini Wijnaldum plus. He might have the ability to do those functions, but you're going to get more assists and you're going to get more goals out of him further up the pitch.
"I see him more in rotation with Curtis Jones potentially, and it's going to be their job to actually do more of the fun stuff on the pitch, whereas Gini Wijnaldum was very much doing the dirty work."
How good is Alexis Mac Allister?
Few would deny that a midfielder of Mac Allister's make would enhance Liverpool's prospects of success next season, bringing energy and intensity to the fore.
Wijnaldum was often the unsung hero for his Merseyside outfit, plying his trade with assiduous diligence and being heralded as "sensational" by his former German manager for his exploits, and there is likely a growing belief that Mac Allister could not only emulate the Dutchman but transcend his feats at the Liverpool centre.
Having broken into Brighton's first team last year, making 36 appearances and scoring five goals, the "sumptuous" dynamo – as dubbed by Gary Lineker – has taken a major stride in his development and plundered 12 strikes from 39 outings, with a central role in his nation's triumphant World Cup campaign wedged in the middle.
The £50k-per-week phenom's rounded skill set is likely a major reason behind Liverpool's ostensible willingness to pay the big bucks, with FBref underscoring his dynamism by referencing his ranking among the top 17% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for shot-creating actions, the top 19% for progressive carries and the top 17% for successful take-ons.
A "magician" with the ball, as hailed by teammate Danny Welbeck, Mac Allister could cement his role as central focal point for Liverpool, perhaps even emerging as Klopp's own version of Barcelona's prodigious maestro Pedri.
Signing for La Blaugrana from Las Palmas for just €20m (£17m) in 2020, the 20-year-old Pedri has since made 109 appearances for his club and earned 18 caps for Spain, belying his age with the superlative calibre of his performances.
He ranks among the 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for shot-creating actions and the top 7% for progressive passes, progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, praised as a "brutal player" by Barca legend Andres Iniesta.
Both Mac Allister and Pedri are progressive presences with bundles of energy, and Barcelona's resurgence under Xavi is indebted to Pedri's presence at the nucleus of the pitch.
Likewise, it's no coincidence that Mac Allister has starred in Albion's ascension to European football and Argentina's return to the pinnacle of international football, and Liverpool must tie up a deal for the remarkable talent.