Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham have been handed a huge blow in their pursuit of Brighton midfielder and World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister. That's because recent reports claim that the Argentina international has already chosen his next club ahead of the January transfer window.
The 24-year-old has continued to impress since breaking into the first-team at the Amex Stadium, seeing his stock rise ever since then. It reached an all-time high earlier this month as he and his fellow compatriots won the World Cup, winning one of the most dramatic finals in history.
His performances have naturally led to plenty of interest, to which the Seagulls appear to be standing firm on ahead of the upcoming transfer market. "When other big teams want our players, we have to be proud and happy," new Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi said on recent interest.
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However, the overarching message was that they will stand firm on any enquiries, meaning a move this January is unlikely. However, beyond then, it could be a completely different story with Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham among the names recently linked with a move for the midfielder.
They may have already lost the battle before it has even begun though because reports from Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport in today's print edition, via Football Italia, have claimed that Mac Allister has chosen Juventus as his next transfer destination. It may come as a slightly shocking move though, given the Bianconeri's recent struggles.
While the suggestion seems to be that a move to Juventus is on the cards, a deal appears far from done and that could leave plenty of twists and turns in the wake for any of the three London rivals to capitalise on.
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