Liverpool’s rebuilding mission is set to get another boost with the news that they have reached an agreement with Roma for the transfer of Alisson Becker. The Reds have not had a consistent goalkeeper for some time now and the position looked like the main department that needed bolstering.
Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius have not done enough to cement their positions in the team as they have been largely inconsistent. Alisson’s reported transfer fee of £67m will become the world record fee to be paid by a club for a goalkeeper.
It goes without saying that the move was largely motivated by Liverpool’s performance last season in the Champions League final against Real Madrid. Today we take a look at what Alisson will bring to the club as they prepare for the new Premier League season.
Quick rise to the top
Alisson’s rise to the top has been meteoric. It is hardly believable that just a little over a year ago he was not even a regular with his current club Roma. The movement of Wojciech Szczesny to Juventus opened the doors of opportunity to the 26-year-old.
It did not take long before he established himself as the undisputed number one under Eusebio Di Francesco at Roma. He has made meaningful progress for club and his country, Brazil. His impressive first full season as Roma’s first choice goalkeeper saw him become the national side’s first choice as well.
What will he bring?
Alisson has a superior passing accuracy compared to Liverpool’s current goalkeepers. Mignolet averaged 69% passing accuracy during last season, whereas Karius averaged 67%. The Brazilian averaged 79%. Does this highlight an important area for Klopp? Perhaps so.
The new signing also averaged a higher percentage of shots saved per game at 79%, unlike his two compatriots who are placed at 59% for Mignolet 69% for Karius.
It is fair to note that he is still relatively inexperienced in goalkeeping terms and he will need to do a lot of adjusting if he is to be successful in the Premier League, but the signs are good.
Way forward
The Premier League has often been described as one of the most difficult leagues and it will be interesting to see how he settles in. Jurgen Klopp will be eager to give him the right guidance to develop as a player and become better adapted to his new environment. He will be looking to ease him into the team just like he has successfully integrated a number of other players in the past. Mohamed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk are just but a few to have settled in very well under his watch.
Whereas everybody agrees that Liverpool have made a good signing, there is always the risk factor that comes with each purchase. Alisson does not have a lot of experience at the very highest level and he might find the challenges of the Premier League hard to cope with. All this notwithstanding, he has a good environment and the trust of his manager to truly prove his mettle.