Rumor Mongering: Alisson a Target Once Again?

Let’s start with the elephant in the room. Saturday evening’s Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid was a very difficult night for Loris Karius. Having made a mess of it in some key moments that led to two of the three goals Liverpool conceded, the German ‘keeper spoke of being “infinitely sorry to my teammates, for you fans, and for all the staff”. With reports of death threats being made against the 24 year old, it is hard to feel anything other than deep sympathy with Karius at this moment, and one sincerely hopes he can come through this moment a stronger player and person.

Nonetheless, football is not famed for being patient or forgiving. As such, it is not a huge shock to see reports that Liverpool are once again in for Roma and Brazil goalkeeper Alisson. The very well connected Paul Joyce of The Times states that the club’s interest is “becoming more critical in light of Loris Karius’s calamitous performance in the Champions League final”, while The Guardian’s Andy Hunter claims that Alisson “remains Klopp’s favoured choice with the Brazilian scouted extensively throughout the season”.

There is reason to think this signing might not be achievable, with many in the Roma hierarchy having spent much of the season claiming that Alisson will not be leaving the club under any circumstances. Joyce does mention, however, that the club’s tight budget under Financial Fair Play regulations likely demand that the Italian side make a few sales before they are able to invest in new signings. It is clear, though, that after the highway robbery that was the Salah deal, Roma will require a significantly higher fee this time. Joyce goes as far to suggest that there will be a “Salah tax”, with the club looking for a slice of what they feel they should have received last summer.

There have been stories linking Alisson to Liverpool for some time now so it is unlikely that this is purely a reaction to the Champions League final, albeit the club have deliberately chosen to leak the story now. Whether a new goalkeeper comes or not, what matters more than football is for everyone to remain supportive of Loris Karius.