Jurgen Klopp says Alexis Mac Allister will be under no pressure to instantly deliver as the Liverpool boss paid tribute to the recruitment team who helped land the midfielder from Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Argentina international became the Reds' first signing of what is expected to be a significant summer transfer window on Thursday when he signed a five-year deal at Anfield for an undisclosed fee believed to be between £35 and £45m.
Mac Allister's signature will be viewed as a major deal for the Reds as they aim to revamp their midfield options after dropping to their lowest Premier League finish since 2016 when they ended up outside the Champions League spots in fifth last term.
Klopp provided a glowing assessment of what he feels the World Cup winner will add to his squad before thanking those who helped establish the existence of a release clause in Mac Allister's Brighton contract and securing the deal less than two weeks after the campaign had concluded.
DONE DEAL: Liverpool sign Alexis Mac Allister as transfer plan turns to next targets
LIVE: Alexis Mac Allister signing reaction as Liverpool transfer plan turns to new targets
Despite Jorg Schmadtke officially joining the club as sporting director on June 1, much of the legwork on the deal is understood to have been undertaken by Julian Ward, who left Liverpool after 11 years in a variety of roles following the end of the season and Klopp expressed his gratitude to those who worked on the transfer.
“We are adding a very talented, very smart, very technically skilled boy to our squad and this is super news, really it is," Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com. “I do not think the football world needs me to say too much about Alexis’ qualities because they are already pretty well known but it is clear that he is someone who can play in a number of positions in the midfield and is an all-rounder, I would say.
"He is calm and composed and someone with proper game intelligence. Of course, he is a player we have known about for a long time and I have watched him grow from a young boy coming into the Premier League to a man who helped his country win the World Cup. That is quite a journey.
“My admiration and respect for what Brighton are doing is well known and Alexis has been a part of the journey that they have been on in becoming one of the toughest and best sides in the Premier League."
Klopp added: “I’m really happy his next steps will now be with us and we get to work with a player who is already excellent and experienced, but also has so much more to come given he is just 24 years old.
“He is just as excited to be joining and working with us and that already makes it a good partnership, but there is no pressure on him. He is still so young, so it is obvious he will only improve and our job is to help him take the next steps.
“I’m grateful to everyone at the club who helped make this transfer happen and I am sure I speak for everyone here when I say I cannot wait to start working with Alexis.
“It will be a bit of time before he is able to play at Anfield in front of our fans but in this modern world I am sure he will see how our supporters will welcome him to the Liverpool family when he looks at his phone today and sees the messages online. They will make him feel at home straight away. I have no doubt about that."
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