Liverpool positioning massive agreement, ends Richard Hughes disaster plan

Liverpool are reportedly considering a move that would bring an end to a Richard Hughes disaster deal. They're getting into position.

Liverpool made some massive deals in the Richard Hughes era. How many have actually worked out? That's entirely up for debate but most would land on "not many".

Some of those deals were record-breaking signings, of course. Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola are all nine-figure arrivals and we're yet to see the best from any of them. Even if Isak is finally scoring goals quite regularly.

It wasn't just the signings, though. Hughes also struck big-money contracts and that included deals for Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk within the first year of his appointment as sporting director.

Hughes didn't even wait another year before deciding he wants out of the Salah deal. The Egyptian left early with a year remaining on his contract. Did that put him off more big contracts, though?

Sort of.

The Alexis Mac Allister contract

One of the final major decisions that Hughes made was licking in Liverpool's future midfield. Or at least, locking in the foundation of it.

That meant renewing both Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai for enormous contracts. It also meant not renewing Alexis Mac Allister even though the Argentine actively sought a new deal.

The decision was made. Liverpool committed to the former pair as the stars of their midfield and Mac Allister would move on, possibly even last summer. That latter part didn't happen and now it seems that the club are ready to go back on Hughes's plan.

The Athletic reports that Liverpool are actually coming around to the idea of renewing Mac Allister after all. It would be a rejection of that initial plan, with the club willing to admit that he's a core part of the short-term future in midfield.

It also questions the futures of Gravenberch and Szoboszlai, just months after their deals. If Mac Allister is to be renewed as a starting midfielder, after all, what are they? They received guarantees under the previous sporting director, after all, in order to sign the contracts.

But it seems Liverpool may have had a change of heart. They're positioning themselves, even if it's only slightly, for a Mac Allister deal. It would be a massive decision - and one that makes a very harsh comment on the end of the Hughes era.