Iraola determined to keep Mac Allister and Alisson at Liverpool this season

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Andoni Iraola has said he is determined to keep Alexis Mac Allister and Alisson for his first season as Liverpool head coach and must strengthen a squad that will be without Hugo Ekitiké and Conor Bradley for several more months.The dust had barely settled on Argentina’s World Cup final defeat by Spain when Mac Allister was linked with a move to Real Madrid. But he allayed doubts over Mac Allister’s long-term future at Liverpool, where he is under contract until 2028, by insisting the 27-year-old is part of next season’s plans.Iraola said: “I think Alexis has been one of the best players at the club for the last few years, and he has had a very good World Cup, so it is normal that other clubs want our best players.

I’m looking forward more to signing new players rather than losing the ones we have here.”Alisson is another established figure whose Liverpool future has been questioned, with the Brazil international strongly linked with Juventus at the end of last season. Iraola has not met Alisson or Mac Allister in person due to their World Cup commitments but has spoken with both, and guaranteed the former will remain a Liverpool player next season.“I am very happy with the situation we have right now in the goalkeeping area,” said Iraola.

“We have Alisson, we have Giorgi [Mamardashvili]. We need the references like Virgil [van Dijk], Alisson, Joe Gomez; players that have been here for a long time, and I am sure we will have this help.”Liverpool have brought a young squad on their US tour, which currently involves a training camp at Chicago Fire before the first game against Sunderland in Nashville on Saturday.