Alexis Mac Allister has confessed he harbours dreams of returning to Argentina to wrap up his football career.
The Liverpool star kicked off his playing days with Argentinos Juniors, before then jetting over to England to sign with Brighton and Hove Albion in 2019, although not before enjoying loan spells back with his childhood club and with Boca Juniors.
After four years with the Premier League club, he clinched a £35million switch to the Reds as one of Jurgen Klopp's final coups in the summer of 2023. Since donning the Liverpool kit, the midfielder has dazzled, cementing his position at the heart of Arne Slot's team.
With Liverpool top of the Premier League and among the favourites to lift the Champions League, Mac Allister's been pivotal, churning out star performances that have the Kopites hoping he stays put for many years to come.
But like many stars from South America, World Cup winners such as Marcos Acuna and Gonzalo Montiel have returned to their homeland to enjoy the final chapter of their careers.
Mac Allister admits it's a prospect he'd "love" when the twilight of his career dawns, but he signals there's more to consider before making such an important decision, reports the Liverpool Echo. "Every Argentine player thinks about returning home," he revealed in an interview with La Media Inglesa.
"Then there are cases where one starts to think more about family, security or how the country is. These are personal decisions. I would love to return to my country, I always say it, it is a country that I love. Beyond the bad things we have, we have many good things. I hope I can return at some point, but it will be in the future."
In an outpouring of respect for Argentina's head coach Lionel Scaloni, who has guided Mac Allister throughout his international career, the midfielder credited him for kickstarting his journey at the top. "The one who changed my career was Scaloni because he had the balls to give me a place," he declared.
After Argentina's stunning upset by Saudi Arabia in their 2022 World Cup opener, Mac Allister found himself centre stage against Mexico in what was a do-or-die match for La Albiceleste.
"We were in a win-or-win situation, and he still had the courage to say, 'let's put Alexis, who is 21 years old and has never played in a World Cup match'. I will always thank him for that. Then you have to perform on the pitch, which is the hardest part," the midfielder recollected fondly.
Reds fans need not worry just yet though; the talismanic Mac Allister remains contracted to Liverpool until 2028. He is expected to play a part in Wednesday's final ever Merseyside derby at Goodison Park. A victory for the Reds against David Moyes' Everton would propel them nine points ahead of an injury-ridden Arsenal at the summit of the table, with only 14 games left to play.