Liverpool will look to benefit from Roma’s Financial Fair Play issues once again this summer when they pursue Brazil No 1 Alisson Becker, reports Daily Mail.
Roma were punished by UEFA in May 2015 after reporting losses of £50million and had sanctions imposed on them for three seasons; the need to balance the books last summer meant they had no choice but to sell Mohamed Salah to Liverpool for £36.9million.
The Italians are on a stronger financial footing now, having reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, but they will again be vulnerable to big offers for key players – it is why they considered selling Edin Dzeko to Chelsea in January.
With that in mind, Liverpool will look to test Roma’s resolve for Alisson, whose reputation has continued to grow. They have been linked in the past with Stoke’s Jack Butland but Alisson is the prime target.
Liverpool are aware that it would take a world record fee for a goalkeeper to land Alisson, way beyond the £34.7million that Manchester City paid to Benfica for Ederson 12 months ago – Roma will not entertain bids that are below £60million.
That valuation seemed exorbitant in February and Loris Karius’ form at the time had convinced Jurgen Klopp to give his compatriot a prolonged run between the posts. The manager’s first instinct is always to find the necessary improvement from within, rather than just looking to buy.
But there are parallels with the way Liverpool recruited Virgil Van Dijk: Klopp was adamant that he was the only central defender he wanted and was prepared to pay for the quality and Alisson is now the only goalkeeper he would consider to come as a new number one.
Klopp had entrusted Karius with that role in January but his calamitous performance in the Champions League final has put his long-term future at Anfield in the balance – the mistakes against Real Madrid were not made in isolation.
The intentions for this transfer window is to add quality rather than quantity.
Naby Keita, who was signed for £52.5million last summer, will arrive from RB Leipzig, while Liverpool are expected to begin discussions with Lyon for Nabil Fekir, who has been earmarked as Philippe Coutinho’s long-term replacement.
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