Between The Posts: Five Potential Alisson Alternatives

Article by Adam Brown – @ScouseAdamMV As Liverpool and Roma stumble over a potential fee for the Brazilian goalkeeper, it looks like the Italians could be holding out until after the World Cup before selling one of their star assets.   It’s a smart move from the Romans, as the Selecao are favourites heading into the tournament, which means Alisson could be a World Cup winner in just over a month’s time –  inflating the transfer fee.   While it’s clear that Liverpool’s performance over the past season has enabled more flexibility in the transfer market, it’s important that the club doesn’t allow themselves to pay over-the-top for players which could allow other teams to take advantage in future negotiations.   Reassuringly for the Reds, the previous season in Europe and the strong finish in the Premier League means that there are now many more players willing to join Liverpool; Klopp can attract players who can help the team win titles.   Assuming that Karius’s role will be reduced next season, which alternatives could Liverpool look to if a deal can’t be agreed for Alisson?   Here are five potential alternatives to the Brazilian who could solve Liverpool’s recent goalkeeping problems.     Jan Oblak   Is the Slovenian goalkeeper worth his release clause in the region of £85-87million? At just 25 years old, the Reds would be acquiring a goalkeeper of World Class calibre.   More importantly, Oblak would be a long-term solution, which makes the release clause even more tempting. The Atletico man has consistently shown his quality over the past few seasons in Spain and, with the transfer market constantly rising, the release clause could actually be the standard in around five years time.   Of course, whilst it is a large fee, goalkeepers are of vital importance in the modern game especially for teams reaching the latter stages of tournaments.       Samir Handanovic   Inter Milan’s starting goalkeeper is set to be 34 next month, but an experienced goalkeeper could be exactly what Liverpool need.   While exceptional cases like David De Gea exist, for many goalkeepers, they will still have a lot to learn before they’re into their 30s which is why we see frequent errors from younger goalkeepers.   Handanovic would be an assured, short-term fix and, importantly, this will allow Loris Karius to take a reduced role, where he could develop under a top-class goalkeeper.       Thibaut Courtois   Could Chelsea be tempted to sell their star goalkeeper? While it may not be the most realistic of transfer scenarios, we’ve already seen Fernando Torres move from Liverpool to Chelsea back in 2011.   Given Liverpool’s much stronger position in the Champions League, Courtois could be tempted to move to Anfield, especially after seeing the sort of investments that FSG are making. Should Liverpool offer a fee too good to turn down, with Courtois’s future unclear, this could be a strong option to acquire a proven goalkeeper in the Premier League.     Rui Patricio   Sporting Lisbon seem to be losing all their players at the moment and, whilst Liverpool fans seem to be keen on Bruno Fernandes, Rui Patricio could also be a strong option for Liverpool.   The Portuguese goalkeeper has experience from winning the European Championships in 2016. While he may not be a recognised superstar that Liverpool fans demand, Patricio could offer assured consistency for a small transfer fee.       Alphonse Areola   Could Areola be tempted away from Paris Saint-Germain by a move to the Premier League? The French goalkeeper has made huge strides last season, earning the starting spot from Kevin Trapp.   Given that Trapp is of good quality and PSG won’t need to directly replace Areola, as well as needing to comply with the non-existent FFP rules, Areola is certainly a goalkeeper who Klopp should consider if the Reds are unable to land other targets.   Fortunately for Liverpool fans, it’s not all bad if we can’t agree on a move for Alisson; there are many options available. Undoubtedly, Oblak is a player who Liverpool should really consider going all-out for, but, it wouldn’t be the worst situation if the Reds brought in a player who can simply offer some assurance in high-pressure situations.   Article by Adam Brown – @ScouseAdamMV For more Redmen TV content including podcasts, subscriber exclusives and three new shows every week subscribe now and get your first month for FREE bit.ly/RMTVjoin