I think Ward played a key role in securing Mac Allister. Given that we were able to sign him without competition, it’s likely that the deal had been in the works for a long time.
There was never much doubt that he’d succeed here. He was consistently impressive for Brighton, had broken into an excellent Argentina side, and won a World Cup along the way. Even so, he’s been a fantastic signing, and you have to admire his tenacity and work rate—especially given that he’s not the most physically gifted. Despite not being a natural fit, he did a solid job at the six last season and gave it everything.
Right now, he’s doing a lot of the hard graft in midfield, but he’s exceptionally good at it. If given more freedom, I think he could put up even better numbers, but that’s just a minor gripe, and I'm sure one he shares.
I'd be grateful if we tied him down longer. I'm a little fearful of him finding the allure of Madrid our Barca too strong. They're huge in Argentina and it's hard to be influenced by that
