Chelsea have reportedly taken the lead in pursuit of Alisson Becker, who is also a summer target for Premier League rivals, Liverpool.
According to a report by Spanish publication Marca, Chelsea are showing interest in signing Alisson in the summer transfer window, and are willing to pay €70 million to secure his services. The AS Roma goalkeeper is also the subject of interest from Liverpool, with Real Madrid also reportedly in the fray.
Alisson did well to emerge out of Wojciech Szczesny’s shadow at AS Roma, taking over the mantle of the club’s No. 1 upon the Pole’s move to Juventus before going on to become one of the most pivotal players for the Giallorossi this past season, with 22 clean sheets in 49 appearances to boot.
His advent at Roma also helped Alisson usurp Ederson to become Brazil’s first-choice custodian as well, and has made a mark at the 2018 FIFA World Cup with his exploits in goal. His progress though, has also brought forth widespread interest in his services, with the likes of Real Madrid, Liverpool and now Chelsea linked with him.
At Liverpool, the goalkeeping situation has been eerily uncomfortable for a while now. Loris Karius seemed to have become the solution to Jurgen Klopp’s goalkeeping woes, producing stellar outings in the second half of the Premier League season. It looked like the uncertainty surrounding the position would end at Anfield for good.
However, his horrendous performance in the UEFA Champions League final last month has brought back all the uncertainties, with Liverpool back in the market for a goalkeeper this summer. Alisson is believed to be the Merseyside club’s first-choice target, but the Reds now face stiff competition from Chelsea in his pursuit.
The Blues are in an urgent need to sign a top class goalkeeper this summer, with Thibaut Courtois set to depart from Stamford Bridge. Contract negotiations with the Belgian shot stopper have been ended, and Chelsea are now looking to recoup as much as possible for him.
Meanwhile, signing a top-class replacement for Courtois is also imperative, with Alisson a viable, long-term target. What also hands Chelsea an advantage over Liverpool and other suitors is the fact that they are prepared to shell out Roma’s €70 million asking price.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, have only been willing to pay €40 million for him. Even though the player would reportedly prefer a move to the Bernabeu, it is unlikely to see the light of the day if Roma’s demands aren’t met. Chelsea would thus, be fancying their chances of signing the 25-year-old ahead of Liverpool.
But, while they are ready to meet Roma’s asking price, it is likely that negotiations with Alisson will have to wait till the end of Brazil’s World Cup campaign. Till then, Chelsea could possibly reach an agreement with Roma to take a step closer to beating Liverpool to the player’s signature.
