Alisson Becker: 5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Liverpool's €75m Signing
Premier League side Liverpool announced the signing of Alisson Becker from AS Roma on Thursday and it took an astronomical amount of €75 million to lure the Brazilian to Merseyside. However, this signing is believed to have solved one of Liverpool's biggest problems - goalkeeping.
Alisson, who was signed by Roma for just €8 million two seasons ago, is now the most expensive goalkeeper in the history of football overtaking fellow countryman Ederson. The arrival of the Brazilian number one has established Liverpool as one of strongest contenders for the Premier League title.
It might have cost the Reds some money, but the fans are definitely excited about Alisson and hope to see a solid number one between the sticks after a long time.
The goalkeeper's rise in football is phenomenal and here are five things you probably didn't know about Alisson.
#5 Alisson considered leaving Roma last summer
As mentioned before Alisson was bought by Roma for just €8 million from Brazilian side Internacional in the summer of 2016. However, it was only this season that he became the first-choice custodian of the Italian club.
In his first season at the club, he was understudy to former Arsenal and current Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. Alisson, knowing that he had reached a critical point in his career, didn't want to be on the bench and considered leaving Roma at the end of the 2016/17 season.
The latest Liverpool signing once admitted that he was about to depart from the club if he wasn't promised regular playing time. That was when Juventus came calling for Szczesny and the Polish goalkeeper jumped ship, giving a chance for the then 24-year-old Alisson.
Team manager Eusebio de Francesco decided not to bring in another number one and stuck with the Brazilan, which paid off big time. It is funny when you think that had Alisson quit Roma last summer, he might not have been in goal for Brazil at the World Cup.
And hadn't Juventus signed Szczesny, Alisson might not have been the most expensive goalkeeper now.