Liverpool have had a bid for AS Roma goalkeeper Alisson Becker turned down, according to reports from Italian outlet Il Tempo (h/t Metro).
The Reds are in the hunt for a new No.1 after manager Jurgen Klopp deemed neither Simon Mignolet nor the current first-choice stopper Loris Karius a solid enough option between the posts. Both the keepers have been susceptible to making errors on regular occasions, which has prompted our boss to scout the market for a new custodian.
The club seem to have identified Brazilian stopper Alisson as the right man to take over the mantle of the No.1 goalkeeper. The player himself had expressed some degree of interest in securing a move to the Anfield a few months ago.
However, our overtures to try and sign the 25-year old in the ongoing transfer window have been rebuffed by the Giallorossi, according to the aforementioned report.
It isn’t known how much Liverpool offered for the Brazilian’s services, but Roma have made it clear that they will not be entertaining offers under their valuation of £44million. The Italian side are also keen to hold on to Alisson at least until the end of the season, before allowing him to leave the club.
Having played second fiddle to former Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny throughout the last season, Alisson has emerged as a key player in the ongoing campaign, following the departure of the Polish keeper. So far this season, the 25-year old has made 27 appearances in all competitions, managing a total of 12 clean sheets.
The player himself has insisted that he is happy in Italy but has also hinted at the possibility of leaving in the summer, if there is an offer. As quoted by Sky Italia (h/t Metro), the 25-year old said:
“I am happy in Rome. ‘It’s always a pleasure to feel that lots of people are monitoring you but my head is focused on Roma. I leave my future in the hands of God. In June, maybe we will speak about it again but for now I am concentrated on Roma.
“Together with my teammates, we have done a great job to not allow the loss of [Wojciech] Szczesny to be felt by the fans. ‘I have worked very hard and want to continue along that track.”
Given how inconsistent and erroneous Mignolet and Karius have been, it is very much necessary that we bring in a new goalkeeper now or in the summer. Alisson would fit the bill perfectly. However, given that he has a contract with Roma until the summer of 2021, it is unlikely that they will budge from their valuation and we may have to end up spending the big bucks to sign him.
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