Alisson Confirms Roma Departure, Liverpool Agree $87.3M World-Record Fee

Liverpool are close to completing a world-record deal for goalkeeper Alisson Becker after agreeing a €75m (£66,8m, $87.3m) fee with AS Roma on Wednesday. The completion of the transfer is subject to the player passing his medical, which is expected to be sometime this week.

The Brazilian stopper will become the most expensive goalkeeper surpassing the previous record of €52m which Juventus paid Parma to sign Gianluigi Buffon. He will also be the most expensive stopper in England topping the £35m Manchester City paid for his compatriot Ederson last summer.

The Liverpool Echo reports that the AS Roma goalkeeper will cut short his holiday in Sardinia and fly to Merseyside to undergo his medical. Alisson is said to have agreed a five-year deal with the Reds to become Liverpool’s fourth summer signing following the arrivals of Naby Keita, Fabinho and Xherdan Shaquiri.

The Brazil international, who is fresh from his stint at the World Cup in Russia, where his team lost in the quarter-finals to Belgium will not be part of Liverpool’s upcoming pre-season tour to the United States. He is expected to return to his holiday after completing his move and then join up with the squad at their training camp in France later in the month.

Jurgen Klopp was said to be keen to sign a new goalkeeper after seeing his current number one Loris Karius struggle last season, especially when the German stopper made two high profile blunders in the final of the Champions League against Real Madrid last season. Alisson will take over the starting role between the sticks and it is unclear if Karius will remain as the backup option with Simon Mignolet also on the roster.

Liverpool and Roma are yet to confirm the deal, but the player has confirmed his departure from the Serie A side after he thanked the fans for their support over the last two seasons. Alisson joined Roma in 2016 in a £6m deal from Brazilian side Internacional.

“I want say thanks to AS Roma fans,” Alisson said, as quoted by Goal. “Now it's time for a new adventure."

The 25-year-old is reported to have taken a private jet from Italy to England on Wednesday. Alisson’s arrival could mark the end of Liverpool’s transfer activity and they will now be considered genuine title contenders.

Liverpool scored 84 goals last season as they finished in fourth place, they were only second to champions Manchester City's haul of 106 goals. But they conceded 38 goals, the most among the top four and Klopp was keen to address his defensive issues going into the new campaign.

The Reds signed centre-back Virgil van Dijk in a £75m deal during the January transfer window in 2018 from Southampton and are now close to adding Alisson, who is considered to be one of the best in the world at the moment in his position, which makes Liverpool genuine challengers to Pep Guardiola’s side that cruised to the title last season.