New Liverpool signing Alexis Mac Allister follows in the footsteps of some Reds legends after receiving their coveted No.10 shirt.
The Premier League side officially unveiled the World Cup winner on Thursday. Mac Allister joins from Brighton, where he helped the Seagulls achieve a best-ever sixth-place finish in 2022/23.
Liverpool will pay £35m for the Argentine’s services – although BBC Sport reports that this could rise to £55m in add-ons.
Following a mixed 2022/23, Jurgen Klopp identified that the Reds’ midfield was in desperate need of a revamp. In Alexis Mac Allister, Liverpool have already moved to fill this area, with additional signings likely to follow this summer.
Fans also found out that the Merseyside club’s newest signing will wear number 10 throughout his time with Liverpool. Mac Allister thus emulates some previous Anfield heroes as a result.
Alexis Mac Allister, Liverpool No.10: the stars who wore this number in the PL era
When permanent squad numbers were introduced in 1993/94, a club legend first took the mantle at Liverpool. That was none other than John Barnes, who made 406 appearances for the club.
After Barnes left in 1997, Michael Owen took over the iconic number. He truly made it his own, emerging as one of the best young strikers in the world wearing No.10. This culminated in Owen winning the 2001 Ballon d’Or.
Sadly, though, his later move to Real Madrid did not materialise as his early career in England suggested it would.
A further much-loved figure who wore No.10 on a Liverpool shirt was Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian moved from Inter Milan as a youngster, then grew into one of the Reds’ star players during the 2010s. His fabulous dribbling and knack for spectacular strikes made him a favourite of the Anfield faithful.
Then, like Michael Owen, Coutinho moved to Spain, joining Barcelona in 2018. His massive transfer fee paved the way for the likes of Alisson and Virgil van Dijk to arrive on Merseyside.
When the Brazilian left, Sadio Mane inherited his number. Forming a deadly trio with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, Mane helped Liverpool to various domestic and European silverware. His exit from the club last summer left the No.10 shirt vacant for 2022/23.
Alexis Mac Allister clearly has some big shoes to fill as the new Liverpool No.10, if this quartet of stars are anything to go by. But not every player who has worn this number for the Reds in the last 30 years has enjoyed so much success.
Other Reds No.10s in the Premier League era
After Michael Owen left for Madrid, Spaniard Luis Garcia inherited the shirt. During his first season in England, Garcia helped Liverpool win their fifth European Cup. He popped up at big moments throughout their run to glory, scoring against Juventus in the quarterfinals, then Chelsea in the semis.
For this, Garcia will always be a hero in the fans’ eyes.
Sadly, his successor, Andriy Voronin, will not be so fondly remembered. Brought in on a free transfer, the Ukrainian forward had a limited impact for the Reds. He finished his Liverpool career with 6 goals from 40 appearances.
Finally, Joe Cole is the seventh player to have donned the famous No.10 at Liverpool. Like Voronin, he moved to Merseyside on a free transfer, from Chelsea. Injuries blighted his time with the club, and he even went on loan to Lille for a season. Cole only managed 42 appearances for the Reds.
Will Alexis Mac Allister be a hit at Liverpool? The good news is he has a full pre-season to settle in at the club. It will be fascinating to see how Jurgen Klopp utilises the Argentine in 2023/24.
Featured image credit: Getty