Alexis Mac Allister hails ‘crazy’ former boss as the best manager he has ever had… and it’s NOT Jurgen Klopp or current Liverpool head coach Arne Slot

Alexis Mac Allister has claimed that his former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi is the best manager he has ever worked under. 

The World Cup winner hailed the ‘crazy’ Italian under whom he established himself as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League and secured a £35million move to Anfield in 2023. 

Since arriving on Merseyside, Mac Allister has played for legendary former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp before the German was replaced by Arne Slot in the summer, who has enjoyed a startling start to life in the Premier League. 

While on the international stage, the 25-year-old has claimed both continental and global honours under the tutelage of former Lazio defender Lionel Scaloni. Yet, it’s De Zerbi that stands out above the rest in the versatile midfielder’s eyes. 

‘He’s a crazy guy, he’s Italian. I love him,’ said Mac Allister on The Rest is Football podcast. ‘He’s the best manager I’ve ever had.

‘The passion he gives for football is special and his tactical side is amazing. He makes you feel good.

The 25-year-old was brought to Liverpool by legendary former boss Jurgen Klopp in his final season at the club

The midfielder has continued to excelled in a Reds jersey under the management of Arne Slot

‘Since the first day I met him he was amazing with me and that’s why I said he was the best coach.’

Mac Allister was handed his Premier League debut by Graham Potter in July 2020, having returned from a loan spell with Boca Juniors where he had spent a short time after being signed by the Seagulls in 2019. 

The south coast side began to receive plaudits for their fearless approach and fluid attacking play in the 2021-22 season when they finished ninth and enjoyed wins over Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal. 

The following season Potter was snapped up Chelsea and the Seagulls made the inspired decision to recruit the former Shakhtar Donetsk and Sassuolo head coach De Zerbi. 

His arrival saw the side take another leap forward and they claimed a sixth-place finish which earned the club its first-ever qualification for Europe. The core of that side, which included the likes of Mac Alister, Moises Caicedo  and Robert Sanchez were sold for large profits in 2023, while De Zerbi moved to Ligue 1 giants Marseille last summer. 

Mac Allister recalled his first interaction with Klopp who brought him to the Reds and revealed that he knew they would do ‘great things’ from their initial interaction. 

‘Before I signed for Liverpool I had a call with him and since that moment I could feel that we were going to do great things and I really enjoyed my time with him.,’ he added. 

‘He said there was going to be a change in midfield, he wanted me to be part of it and he compared me to players like Gundogan for and that I could be an important player for Liverpool.

‘That was enough to say I need to go there. I was in the moment where I won a World Cup just six months ago. I wanted to go to a club where I had the opportunity to win trophies and I wanted to go to a club where I could feel important.’

The midfielder claimed his first trophy for the Reds in the Carabao Cup last term and was a crucial part of a revamped midfield helped the said challenge for the Premier League title in the German’s final season. 

Now under Slot, the Argentinian will be desperate for his side to capitalise on their favourable position at the top of the league standings domestically and in Europe.