Alisson has completed his long-awaited move to Liverpool FC after a £66m world record bid secured his departure from Roma. The Brazilian, a member of his country’s World Cup squad, has signed a five-year deal with the Merseyside club.
Liverpool Sign Alisson
A World-Class Keeper
Alisson is a top signing for Liverpool. He is of the kind of quality of the club’s past, such as Pepe Reina and Bruce Grobbelaar. At the same time, he is only 25-years-old and thus has some room for improvement. He was Brazil’s first choice for the World Cup, where he kept three clean sheets, but could not keep Belgium from knocking his country out.
Nevertheless, forging his place in the Brazil side is no easy feat. It will be a new challenge to be able to adapt to the English game. However, he certainly has the credentials to make it in the Premier League.
Wide Awake
Liverpool smashed Roma 5-2 in the Champions League semi-final and Alisson was in goal for these five painful strikes. He reportedly claimed that he could not sleep at night due to conceding so many goals.
Thus, like a certain goalkeeper in the club’s current squad, he too has suffered upon the highest European stage. However, he did not commit such howlers as Loris Karius did. Every goalkeeper has these kinds of games since they are just part of the defence.
Similarly, Liverpool’s defence is hardly world-beating recently. Dejan Lovren can claim he is the world’s best defender for all he wants, but he is the weak link. Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip have been hot and cold so far. Trent Alexander-Arnold has massive potential and thus helps boost a decent enough defence in front of Alisson.
However, Alisson’s hefty price-tag may be detracting from the budget for the rest of the team. There may well be an awakening by the middle of the season if Klopp believes a goalkeeper can help cease defensive issues.
Karius’ Chance Over
The signing of Alisson declares Klopp’s intention to have a new first-team goalkeeper. This surely spells the end for Loris Karius. His concussed Champions League final performance seems to have cast too much doubt on his reliability.
Unfortunately, he does not seem to have recovered from this moment. Videos of his howler against Tranmere in a pre-season match are in wide circulation. It seems as if he is a changed man, having committed his errors at the highest point of his career.
He deserved another chance from Klopp, but at the top level of football, these second chances are uncommon. The goalkeeper position is such a precarious one. Two mistakes and Karius’ career could well be over at Liverpool. Alisson will fill the sticks instead.
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