Quantcast
LFC News

Liverpool table blinding Alisson offer

|
Image for Liverpool table blinding Alisson offer

OPINION

Liverpool could well be playing a blinder in their pursuit of Roma goalkeeper Alisson.

The Merseysiders want the Brazil international but they don’t want to pay the asking price set by the Serie A club after they had their fingers burned by the bargain Mohamed Salah deal last summer.

Liverpool have demonstrated their interest by lodging a bid via an intermediary that Sky Sports Italy correspondent Gianluca Di Marzio has reported on his personal website to be worth £43.8million plus add-ons.

Jurgen Klopp’s need for a goalkeeper who doesn’t get a nose bleed when the ball is pumped near his six-yard box and who can kick the ball accurately and a long distance under pressure is well known following the horrors of Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet in the recent campaign.

Alisson is a mighty fine keeper who had a brilliant 2017-18 campaign and has leapfrogged into the top bracket of the world’s elite goalkeepers just a notch below standard bearers David de Gea, Manuel Neuer and company.

He would be a massive upgrade on Karius and Mignolet.

The problem is that Liverpool’s path to securing Alisson’s signature is blocked by their Champions League conquerors, Real Madrid.

According to Di Marzio, the Spanish giants have agreed personal terms with the Brazil number one and have tabled an opening offer worth £48.2million plus bonuses.

It was rejected by Real and an improved bid of £52.6million bid is in line to be formalised this week.

Can Liverpool afford to not only match the numbers of Florentino Perez’s club, but also blow them out of the water?

They certainly can, after pocketing £142million from the sale of Philippe Coutinho and completing a 2017-18 campaign that will yield comfortably the highest turnover and profits in the club’s history.

Liverpool are well placed to strike and, after making their interest in Alisson clear, must do so.

It is intriguing that Real have also bid for Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois. This suggests they don’t think the signing of the Roma number one is nailed on.

Liverpool have sat back and allowed Real to make the running for Alisson, but it could be part of a deliberate and very smart strategy.

The player knows the Merseyside giants want him – there have no doubt been third-party discussions to that effect behind the scenes – and have the team, finance and charismatic manager to make him an offer he can’t refuse.

Liverpool are unlikely to have given up their pursuit quite yet. A stunning deal could still be just around the corner.

Share this article