Liverpool are fifth in the Premier League and competing to secure Champions League football for the 2026/27 campaign, after winning the division last season.
Arne Slot‘s side have not been at their sparkling best, despite adding the likes of Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez to the squad, and several players have declined as part of the team’s overall decline.
Alexis Mac Allister, for example, has endured a difficult season in the middle of the park for the Reds. In 30 appearances in the Premier League, the midfield star has lost 54% of his ground duels and 56% of his aerial duels, which shows that he has been too weak in his physical battles.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion sensation has also only delivered two goals and two assists for the team in the top-flight in those matches for Liverpool.
Last season, though, the central midfielder contributed to the league title win with five goals and five assists, which means that he has not been as effective in possession this year.
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Mac Allister’s struggles in and out of possession in the middle of the park have been disappointing, and it could leave his place in the starting XI up for grabs ahead of next season.
The Argentina international has been a regular, starting 27 times, for Slot in the current campaign, typically playing alongside Ryan Gravenberch, but that could change in the summer.
According to Mark Brus’ Daily Briefing, Liverpool are one of the teams preparing to make a move to sign AS Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The reporter claims that both Liverpool and Chelsea are eyeing up moves to sign the Senegal international from the Ligue 1 outfit to bolster their options in the middle of the park.
Brus adds, though, that Monaco are only open to doing business if a bid of up to £65m comes in for his services, which means that the Reds will need to put significant money on the table to see an offer accepted by the French side.
Camara is said to be an attractive target for Liverpool because Slot wants high-energy midfielders in his team, but it remains to be seen whether or not they will put in a bid of £65m to secure his signature.
Why Camara would be an upgrade on Mac Allister for Liverpool
Mac Allister is not the best fit for Liverpool’s midfield if the manager wants high-energy midfielders with a lot of mobility, because the Argentine star is more of a possession-based, tempo-setting, player, rather than being all-action in midfield.
The 27-year-old star has only averaged 1.4 tackles won and 3.1 duels won per match in the Premier League so far this season, which speaks to his lack of mobility and ability to get across the pitch to win duels and win possession back for his team.
Last month, Jamie Carragher issued a concern about the Argentine midfielder, saying: “The longer the games go on the more Mac Allister struggles, I think that’s a real problem for Liverpool that they need to address in midfield.”
Camara, however, does not have the same issues with his durability or mobility. He has played 77 minutes per game at league level on average, more than Mac Allister’s 74 minutes per game, and offered more to his side out of possession.
In Ligue 1 this season, the Senegalese star has won 5.2 ground duels per game, with a success rate of 63%, which shows that he is a dominant midfield player who constantly gets about the pitch to break up play.
|
25/26 league season |
Mac Allister |
Camara |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
30 |
18 |
|
Big chances created |
2 |
7 |
|
Assists |
2 |
4 |
|
Tackles won per game |
1.4 |
2.3 |
|
Dribbled past per game |
1.1x |
0.6x |
|
Duels won per game |
3.1 |
6.0 |
|
Ground duel success rate |
46% |
63% |
|
Aerial duel success rate |
42% |
45% |
The £65m-rated Monaco star has won almost twice as many duels per game, whilst still being dribbled past less frequently, which suggests that he is far more mobile and physically robust than Mac Allister.
Camara was described as a “defensive monster” by U23 scout Antonio Mango and these statistics back up that claim, as he is a duel-winning and tackling machine in the middle of the park in Ligue 1.
Unfortunately, Mac Allister has not offered enough energy or defensive quality out of possession, and his attacking play has not made up for his struggles off the ball.
Camara, meanwhile, looks like the perfect fit for what Slot wants from his midfield because of the mobility, strength, and all-action nature of his performances for Monaco.
That is why Liverpool should pay the £65m that it will take for Monaco to accept a bid for the 22-year-old central midfielder, as he could arrive at Anfield as a big upgrade on Mac Allister.
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