Did Alexis Mac Allister strike the right tone when he told the media about his contract situation with Liverpool?

The Argentine midfielder has a deal with the Reds until 2028, but said on Tuesday that he is “very sad” not to have received a new contract in the summer after team-mates Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch penned new agreements.

The public approach to stalling contract dealings is nothing new at Liverpool.

In November 2024, Mohamed Salah spoke openly about his contract stalemate when he admitted he was “disappointed” by a lack of offers from the club, as he entered the final six months of his deal.

Salah was eventually offered an extension and Mac Allister will be hoping for the same.

But as they were with Salah, opinions are split on whether taking it public was the fair thing to do.

Fans contacting BBC Sport claim the ordeal is “self-indulgent”, while former Everton and Chelsea winger, Pat Nevin believes Mac Allister “said exactly the right things”.

Nevin told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast: “I often hear various players saying things and pushing things a certain way and you get a bit fed up with it.

“You’re thinking, ‘go whinge and whine somewhere else mate, you’re doing OK’. Not this time.

“I thought he spoke brilliantly. I thought he said exactly the right things – that he loves the club. Any fan watching that is thinking how he just wants to play for Liverpool Football Club.

“He’s just shown us that is the case and if you are asked the question you answer it honestly. He is saying he’s seen his mates getting these contracts which might be disappointing, but he’s saying all the correct things I think.

“I take nothing away from that, I applaud him for all that.

“Things can change very quickly. It didn’t look like Cody Gakpo would leave very recently and then suddenly he’s knocking.

“If he is asking for far too much money and putting that pressure on it then he is playing a very good game because to speak the way he did there didn’t sound like that. It sounded like somebody who just wanted a contract offered.”

BBC Radio Merseyside also discussed the situation with Liverpool fan, Joel Richards, who called Mac Allister’s comments a “clever tactic”.

“Mac Allister’s at an age now, 27, where his next contract is going to be the biggest one of his career,” Richards said.

“He is someone who will be looking to be remunerated properly after seeing his team-mates getting bumper pay rises so, of course he’s going to put it out there that he came very close to leaving in the summer.

“I’d say it’s a clever tactic but how many times have we been here with footballers when they get a microphone put in front of them? If it wasn’t going to happen here before a Champions League game, it would have happened with Argentina on international duty.

“Objectively speaking, if you’re going to canvas the opinions of a decent size of Liverpool fans from last season, asked them what you thought on Mac Allister and whether he was deserving of a new deal, I think a large majority of that sample size would say ‘no’ simply because of the performances that he put in.

“However, it’s easy to focus on the negatives of last season whereas, his first two seasons at Liverpool he was an important player for us.”

Liverpool‘s communications department have dealt with tricky player-led controversies in recent times.

Salah told media he had been “thrown under the bus” during a stand-off with former boss Arne Slot last season, Dominik Szoboszlai had to clear up a move to shrug his shoulders at fans after defeat at Manchester City and now Mac Allister has made contract frustration public.

Some fans think the World Cup winner could have held back.

Writing in to BBC Sport, supporter Rob said Mac Allister “should do his talking on the pitch, not off it”, while fan Patricio said the move was “childish” and that the midfielder should “earn” an extension.

BBC Sport reader David wrote: “Very poor from Mac Allister on so many levels. He still has two years remaining on his existing contract, had a very poor season so is not in a position to renegotiate terms unlike other players he referred to, and no doubt he is fully aware there will be a time to negotiate a new contract later in the season if his form improves.”

And fan Stuart added: “Self-indulgent and not in any way helpful. Alexis was there to represent the club ahead of a huge match and first major Anfield occasion for Iraola, not to air his contract grievance. You’re not bigger than the club even if you are a World Cup winner.”