"I had a proposal" - Liverpool star reveals reason for joining Reds despite having offer from Chelsea
Alisson Becker has revealed the role the Anfield faithful played in enticing him to choose Liverpool over Chelsea.
The Brazilian goalkeeper arrived on Merseyside in 2018 from Serie A side AS Roma for £67 million. The 30-year-old was highly sought-after at the time, with the Reds' Premier League rivals Chelsea also interested.
Alisson has shed light on his decision to join Liverpool while turning down a move to Stamford Bridge. He has also revealed that the west Londoners made a proposal for his services (via SelecaoTalk):
“That game (5-2 vs Roma) contributed to my choice in choosing Liverpool. If you ask me what it was like to play at Anfield as an opponent, I can sum it up for you in one word: HORRIBLE. Anfield is a spectacular stadium"
Jurgen Klopp's men beat Roma 5-2 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinal in 2018. Alisson was in goal for the Serie A side who were put to the sword by a rampant Reds side.
The Brazilian shot-stopper got a glimpse of just how raucous the Anfield fans could be during that game. He says that that game played a part in his decision to join Klopp's side:
"I had a proposal from Chelsea, but experiencing that made me play for Liverpool."
Alisson has become a fan-favourite at Anfield, winning the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup. He has kept 103 clean sheets in 232 games across competitions.
Klopp lauded the Reds' goalkeeper last season as his side's most consistent player. He kept 17 clean sheets in 47 games across competitions despite an underwhelming season for the Merseysiders (via BBC Sport):
"He is, for sure, the most consistent player we have this season. That's actually not bad news; it's good news, because if we are not in a great shape and the level of the goalie drops as well, then we would have been completely lost."
Alisson has been a game-changing signing for Liverpool, and fans will be delighted to hear he chose them over Chelsea. He has four years left to run in his contract at Anfield.
Chelsea have been unable to find a credible alternative to Liverpool's Alisson
The Blues have been through two first-choice goalkeepers since missing out on Alisson to Liverpool in 2018. They turned their attention to Kepa Arrizabalaga that summer, spending a world record £72 million fee for a goalkeeper on the Spaniard.
Kepa arrived from Athletic Bilbao but endured a topsy-turvy spell at Stamford Bridge. He made 163 appearances across competitions, keeping 59 clean sheets.
However, the Spaniard was never truly relied on, and Chelsea reentered the transfer market for a new goalkeeper in 2020. The Blues signed Edouard Mendy from Rennes for £22 million.
Mendy did impress in his debut season with the west Londoners, keeping nine clean sheets in 12 Champions League games. His side went on to win the tournament, and he was named UEFA's Goalkeeper of the Year.
However, the Senegalese shot-stopper suffered a fall from grace in the following campaigns. He was displaced by Kepa last season, and the duo have since departed.
Mendy has joined Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli permanently, while Kepa has joined Real Madrid on a season-long loan. Hence, missing out on Alisson to Liverpool has proven problematic for the Blues.