Alexis Mac Allister believes his "next step" should be with another Premier League club amid speculation linking Liverpool and Manchester City with the Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder.
Mac Allister has been linked with several big clubs since helping Argentina lift the World Cup for a third time in Qatar last year.
The 24-year-old's cultured performances have helped Brighton into contention for European qualification, and he has been touted as a possible target for struggling Liverpool, who are likely to be in the market for midfielders at the end of the season.
More recently, Mac Allister was suggested as a potential replacement for City's Ilkay Gundogan should the Germany international depart when his contract expires in June.
While Mac Allister remains focused on Brighton's push for a top-six finish, he feels a Premier League giant – rather than a transfer abroad – will be a better fit when he decides to move on.
"I don't have a particular team where I say 'this is the way I play'. I think that here in the Premier League, there are very strong teams that play very well, like Manchester City and Arsenal," he told TyC Sports.
"Chelsea too, I had [Graham] Potter as coach and I know the idea he has of playing football.
"Manchester United are returning to be what they were, and Liverpool are going through some ups and downs but they still have a very important team.
"If I have to say a place, I would like my next step to be in the Premier League. But the truth is that I am very focused here in Brighton and enjoying the present."
Only recent Arsenal acquisition Leandro Trossard (seven) and Pascal Gross (six) have bettered Mac Allister's tally of five goals in 19 Premier League outings for Brighton this term.
Al-Khaleej 0-1 Al-Nassr: Ronaldo misfires on return as Laporte nets winner
Cristiano Ronaldo returned from suspension but failed to find the net as Al-Nassr secured a 1-0 win over Al-Khaleej on Saturday, with Aymeric Laporte coming up with the decisive goal.
Ronaldo was in action for the first time since being sent off for an elbow in a 2-1 Saudi Super Cup loss to Al-Hilal earlier this month, with his initial two-match ban being reduced to one on appeal.
He missed three good chances as Al-Nassr threatened to fall further behind runaway Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal, but former Manchester City defender Laporte spared his blushes by nodding Marcelo Brozovic's deep free-kick into the bottom-left corner with 68 minutes gone.
Al-Nassr remain nine points adrift of Al-Hilal at the summit in spite of their win, with Jorge Jesus' team unbeaten through 28 games this season as they close in on a record-extending 18th title.
Data Debrief: Ronaldo misfires on return
Ronaldo was presented with the Saudi Pro League's Player of the Month award for March ahead of kick-off, having scored four goals in three league appearances last month.
However, his sights were off on Saturday as he failed to net despite three of the visitors' four big chances, as defined by Opta, falling his way. He led all players on the pitch for expected goals (1.27 xG), shots (five), shots on target (three) and touches in the area (nine) without reward.
‘Too many draws have cost us’ – De Zerbi
Roberto De Zerbi has highlighted too many draws as Brighton’s problem this season while looking ahead to their trip to Bournemouth on Sunday.
The Seagulls suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to title-hopefuls Manchester City on Thursday, extending their winless run to five games.
Despite sitting in 12th, Brighton still have an outside chance of getting a European place next season, though they would have to win all five of their remaining matches against teams above them in the table.
Asked how his side will approach a tough fixture list at the end of the season, De Zerbi said: “It’s not a good thing we’re playing teams above us. We should be better. Chelsea and Bournemouth are very close with us, and we have the chance to win the game and fight to reach the highest position we can.
“We’ve had too many draws. For sure we can lose 11 games in this moment, but we could win more games. Sometimes I think what I could do better to win more games, but it’s tough because we drew a lot, shooting a lot of times on goal without scoring, especially at home.”
Huddersfield all but relegated from Championship while League Two play-off spots decided
Huddersfield Town saw their relegation from the Championship all but confirmed after a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Birmingham City on Saturday.
The Terriers avoided a defeat that would have seen them relegated on Saturday, but even a win on the final day over promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town will not be enough unless they overcome a huge goal difference of 15 goals with Plymouth Argyle.
Birmingham remain in the other relegation place and now must beat Norwich City to stand a chance of staying up with Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth and Blackburn Rovers also still in danger.
At the other end of the table, the Canaries dropped points in a 2-2 draw with Swansea City, leaving the door open for Hull City, who face Ipswich Town later today.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
