Juventus closing in on deal to sign Alisson Becker
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Image Credits: Imago ImagesEight years. Two Premier League titles.
A Club World Cup. A UEFA Super Cup.And a header at Newcastle that may have been the single most important moment in Liverpool’s title run of 2018-19.Alisson Becker has not merely been Liverpool’s goalkeeper — he has been one of the pillars around which an entire era of success was constructed.The news emerging on Sunday evening, therefore, carries a weight that goes far beyond a straightforward transfer story.According to talkSPORT, Juventus are advancing in talks to sign Alisson this summer, with Liverpool already beginning their homework on potential replacements.The Brazilian, who joined from Roma in the summer of 2018 for what was then a world-record fee for a goalkeeper, is entering the final year of his contract at Anfield.At 33, and with his second hamstring injury of the season currently keeping him sidelined, the timing of a departure feels increasingly inevitable rather than merely possible.The numbers Alisson has produced across his time at Liverpool are extraordinary.He kept 29 clean sheets in 38 Premier League games during the title-winning season of 2019-20, setting a new record for a single campaign.He won the UEFA Champions League Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2019, the same year he claimed the FIFA Best Goalkeeper prize.This season, injuries have limited him to just 25 Premier League appearances, with deputy Giorgi Mamardashvili — signed from Valencia last summer as his long-term replacement — stepping in across 19 appearances in all competitions, keeping two clean sheets in nine Premier League outings.The handover, it seemed, was always coming.
It has simply arrived sooner and more abruptly than Liverpool would have preferred.Those appeals, it appears, may not be enough to change the direction of travel.Personal terms between Alisson and Juventus are reported to be close to agreement, and the Italian club’s interest has been consistent and serious throughout this window.Liverpool triggered the one-year extension clause in his contract earlier this season, but that measure appears to have delayed rather than prevented the departure.As reported earlier this week, Liverpool have identified Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez, described by some as the best goalkeeper in the world, as one of their primary targets should Alisson depart.Lucas Chevalier of PSG has also been mentioned, with the club assessing up to five options between the posts.Mamardashvili, who has shown promise without yet convincing the hierarchy he is ready to be the undisputed number one, remains in the picture, but Liverpool’s preference appears to be for a proven, commanding presence to come in alongside him rather than handing the Georgian the keys unconditionally.For Juventus, Alisson would represent a transformative signing — a genuine world-class operator to anchor a defence that has been inconsistent at the highest level.For Liverpool, his exit would close one of the most decorated chapters in the club’s modern history.The era of Alisson at Anfield is ending.The only question left is what comes next.