Alisson set to make Reds debut in Dublin friendly
Klopp ready to unveil world’s most expensive goalkeeper
ALISSON, the most expensive goalkeeper in football history, is scheduled to join up with the Liverpool squad on their training camp in France later this month, after being given extended leave.
Liverpool will train in Evian-lesBains before a pre-season friendly against Napoli in Dublin on August 4, with the Brazilian poised to make his first appearance after his record move from Roma.
Alisson’s arrival has increased the uncertainty over the futures of Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet, with Liverpool’s new signing certain to face West Ham United on the opening day of the Premier League campaign.
“Obviously he is a world-class goalkeeper so we are not going to say, ‘Let’s have a look’. He will play, of course,” Klopp said.
INTENSE
“When Alisson is ready, he will be in our goal. We all need to help him so he can perform as good as possible.
“He is desperate to play. He could have joined us here in America but it made absolutely no sense. He had a long year and, as Brazil’s number one, it was quite an intense year, so I sent him on holiday again.
“There will still be two games to play and West Ham is only the first game of the season, not the last one. I would say he plays in Dublin.”
Klopp has claimed that no decision has been made on the futures of Karius or Mignolet, with one of the goalkeepers expected to leave before the transfer window closes.
Karius’ status at Liverpool has diminished after his poor Champions League final performance against Real Madrid, while Mignolet could conceivably start the campaign as third choice.
Mignolet has yet to report for training after also being given extended leave following his involvement in Belgium’s World Cup campaign.
His agent, Nico Vaesen, has admitted that “we are looking at the situation and looking for a solution to his playing time”, adding that Mignolet would have sought a move regardless of the Alisson signing.
Klopp said: “They are two really good goalkeepers, so we will see. From my point of view there is no rush. All players can show that they are Liverpool players.
“They can show that until the end of the transfer window. So there is absolutely nothing else to say about it. We will just have to wait and see
what the future brings.
“We need a stronger squad around and Loris is an outstanding goalkeeper. That is the truth. Nothing else.
“My job is together with Michael Edwards and Mike Gordon to bring the best players who are available for Liverpool if they fit in.
“That is what we have tried to do. Then my job is to work with these boys and give them this kind of shape that they can really work together in the best possible way. It is the same for all positions.”
Xherdan Shaqiri will link up with the squad later this week in New York, after being given time off following his participation in the World Cup for Switzerland.
Shaqiri could make his debut against Manchester City on Wednesday night, before Liverpool conclude their American tour against Manchester United in Detroit next Saturday.
Roberto Firmino, Alisson’s teammate in the Brazil national team, will fly out to France for the training camp.
Meanwhile, Klopp insists that he “doesn’t care” about allegations of hypocrisy over his transfer spending.
After Paul Pogba’s €105m (£89.3m move to Manchester United in 2016, Klopp said he would quit football if such fees became commonplace.
Yet, the signing of Alisson from Roma took Liverpool’s spending over the past 12 months to almost €280m (£250m).
“We don’t care what the world around us is thinking,” Klopp said. “Like Manchester United didn’t care what I said.”
The German added: “It is only an opinion in that moment. Did I change my opinion? Yes. That is true. But it is better to change your opinion than never have one. We have the players we want.”
Liverpool spent a club record €84m (£75m) to sign central defender Virgil van Dijk from Southampton in January.
Before that, they agreed a deal for midfielder Naby Keita to move from RB Leipzig for a fee in excess of €56m (£50m), though the Bundesliga side’s failure to qualify for the Champions League means that price will reduce.
This summer, Klopp has signed Brazilian midfielder Fabinho from Monaco in a deal that could be worth more than €45m (£40m) and Stoke playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri for €14.5m (£13m ) before breaking the world record for a goalkeeper last week to sign Alisson.
Klopp said: “Whatever people say and bring it up again and again, I have had worse days in my life and worse things happen to me. We have the players we wanted. I am fine with that.”
Although his own transfer business is done, Klopp thinks there will be more big deals before the transfer window closes on August 9 in England, and August 31 across the rest of Europe.
He accepts when he made his com- ments in the wake of that Pogba deal, he could not have imagined how the transfer market would evolve with Neymar’s world record €222 m (£200m) move to Paris St-Germain from Barcelona and Philippe Coutinho’s €160m (£142m) switch to Barca from Liverpool six months ago now seen as the benchmark.
“The world has changed completely,” the German said. “Better players than we already have are not waiting around the corner. You can’t get the worldclass goalkeeper who had a really long contract at Roma on a free transfer.
“It is not for me to say we don’t want to pay big money because in the end Liverpool is not successful. That doesn’t work.” (© Daily Telegraph,