Dominik Szoboszlai is on the cusp of committing his future to Liverpool after reaching an agreement in principle on a new contract, a major boost for new manager Andoni Iraola as he prepares for his first season at Anfield.
The Hungary captain was one of Liverpool's most consistent performers during a challenging 2025-26 campaign that saw Arne Slot lose his job after a fifth-place finish, even filling in at right-back on occasions. With two years remaining on his current deal, speculation had grown over his long-term future, and the player himself conceded talks had stalled back in April. But contract terms have now been provisionally agreed, according to The Guardian.
“Dominik Szoboszlai agrees new Liverpool contract while Alexis Mac Allister stars at World Cup.”
The news will be welcomed not only by Iraola but by club legend Steven Gerrard, who predicted earlier this year that Szoboszlai would go on to follow in his footsteps by donning the captain's armband. “I like his mentality,” Gerrard told TNT Sports in March. “He's evolved, and he's grown a lot since he's become a Liverpool player. … I think there's a potential captain in there. The way he's playing and his consistency and his mentality, you can hear it in his voice. He's straight on to the next game, talking about Brighton. I love that about him.”
While Szoboszlai's future is secured, Iraola faces a different kind of wait for another key midfielder. Alexis Mac Allister, who played a starring role in Liverpool's Premier League title win under Slot in 2025 – a goal that day registered 1.74 on the Richter scale – endured a difficult 2025-26 campaign, the poorest of his three seasons since his £35m arrival from Brighton, hampered by early injuries. But he has rediscovered his best form for Argentina at the World Cup, playing every minute except the last group game, racking up 539 minutes, 31 duels won, 10 tackles and nine interceptions.
“I feel like maybe the number eight position, also double number six, is my best position, but I can play anywhere,” Mac Allister told ESPN last month – versatility that will appeal to Iraola, who wants his midfielders to be all-action in his high-press system.
However, whoever wins Wednesday's semi-final between Argentina and England, the winners will not return to their clubs until at least 10 August. Fifa regulations entitle World Cup players to three weeks off, meaning Mac Allister is unlikely to be ready for the start of the Premier League season. Iraola, then, will have to build his midfield without one proven winner – but with another now locked in for the long haul.
