Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has revealed the "next Steven Gerrard" he "desperately wanted" to sign for the Reds.
Klopp is in his last season at Anfield, having revealed in late January that he will be stepping down at the end of his ninth campaign in charge of the Merseyside club.
And it could end in the best possible way as Liverpool challenge for the Premier League title in a close race with Manchester City and Arsenal.
One of the players key to the Reds' success this term is Alexis Mac Allister, a summer signing from Brighton who cost just £35 million and is already drawing comparisons with Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.
A stunning long-range strike from Mac Allister against Sheffield United on Thursday set Liverpool on their way to an important victory and after the match, Klopp said: "The game was a difficult one to get rhythm. We needed Macca's wonder goal to turn it around."
Asked about the Argentine afterwards, he said: "I would rather you all use your eyes and say what you see but it's obvious that he’s a super important player for us."
Klopp embraced Mac Allister's father, a former Argentine international, after the game and said: "I met his father after the game. He said 'Thank you' and I said 'Gracias'. He's a wonderful player, a wonderful boy and I'm really happy for Liverpool that we got him.
"I had no limits for him, I didn't want to limit him, I just knew that was a player I desperately wanted. Thank God we got him."
"He's incredible; he's educated in the best possible way; he's really full of life, confident, funny, smart. An incredible footballer."
Mac Allister has had to play for much of the season as a number 6, but has recently thrived in a more advanced role.
"You never know – not from a football point of view, but character – because there was a lot of discussion of whether he can play the six and it sounds like it was five years ago but it was only a few months ago," Klopp said.
"I got asked the question quite frequently and these things always help, if you play outside your comfort zone. We all know the eight is his best position, he can play the six anyway."
"I'm absolutely happy and we had talks before we signed him, and after them I was super positive that he's a fantastic boy."
And he added: "Just a great player, fantastic footballer, super important to us."
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