Alisson closes in on world record move to Liverpool from Roma
▶ Serie A club director Monchi denies they ‘lack ambition’
Alisson Becker is on the verge of a record-breaking move to Liverpool as the Brazil goalkeeper undertakes a medical at the Premier League club, Roma sporting director Monchi said on Thursday.
It has been widely reported that Liverpool have agreed a deal worth €75 million (Dh319.7m) with Serie A side Roma for Alisson, shattering the previous world record fee for a goalkeeper when Juventus paid Parma €53m for Gianluigi Buffon in 2001. “The player is there undergoing a medical and, if he passes that, the deal could go through,” Monchi told reporters.
“It’s hard when you’re a sporting director. We received a significant offer for Alisson and we evaluated it.
“In the end, we took a decision and, speaking with Liverpool, we reached an agreement. It’s not that we lack ambition.
“We have only sold two players and we’ve signed 10, and we’re going to continue looking for players.”
Alisson kept 17 clean sheets in 37 Serie A appearances for Roma last season and helped the club reach the Uefa Champions League semi-finals, where they were knocked out by Liverpool. He started all five games for Brazil at the World Cup in Russia where they bowed out with a quarter-final defeat by Belgium.
The goalkeeping position has been problematic for Liverpool under manager Jurgen Klopp, with Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet struggling to hold down their first-team spots last season.
Alisson’s Roma teammate Diego Perotti described the goalkeeper’s imminent departure as a “big loss” for the club. “He was a really important goalkeeper for us and his saves rescued a lot of points and games last season, but that is football,” Perotti told Sky in Italy.
“Admittedly, Alisson is a big loss for us, because he’s a great guy, was a strong part of the locker room dynamic and we’re sorry to see him go, but life is like that.”
Roma have already lost another key player this summer after Belgian midfielder Radja Nainggolan left for Inter Milan, while the club sold Mohamed Salah last year, with the Egyptian winger going on to score 43 goals in all competitions for Liverpool.
“It happened with Salah and Nainggolan, Roma continued and will carry on, so we must do just as well as last season,” Perotti said.
“I will say that a club never acts to damage itself, as every move is made to improve the team overall.
“We’ll see how it goes at the end of the season.”
It happened with Salah and Nainggolan, Roma continued and will carry on, so we must do just as well as last season DIEGO PEROTTI Roma midfielder