Napoli club owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has said that he would have never sold goalkeeper Alisson if he were in charge of Roma.
The Brazil international arrived at Anfield this summer, in a world record £65 million deal as reported by The Guardian. This has since been beaten by Chelsea, who forked out £72 million to recruit Athletic Bilbao shot-stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga as reported by Bein Sports.
Alisson is expected to solve the goalkeeping problem, which has affected Liverpool since the departure of former first-choice Pepe Reina. Since Reina left Anfield in 2014, the club has never managed to find a solid first-choice shot-stopper. Simon Mignolet may have served as first-choice for the majority of the time since then, but the Belgian never looked like a world-class keeper.
Mignolet ended up losing the starting position last season to Loris Karius. The German also proved to be error-prone and it remains to be seen whether he will ever be able to regain his confidence, following his hellish display against Real Madrid during the final of the Champions League.
Alisson’s transfer from Roma to Liverpool means that the English club have done business with the Italians for a second consecutive season, after Mohamed Salah arrived last summer.
Salah proved to be the best signing of the summer last term, as he went on to notch 32 goals from 36 games for Klopp’s charges and won the Premier League’s Golden Boot award.
Liverpool fans will certainly be hoping that Roma have provided their club with yet another gem.
Judging by Alisson’s exploits in the Serie A last season, as well as internationally for Brazil, the keeper has the potential to become one of the best minders in England.
Napoli owner De Laurentiis rates the keeper so highly, that he fancies that he would have never sold him.
As quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport, the outspoken De Laurentiis said: “I wouldn’t have sold Alisson, not even for €100million. I had offered €60million for him, but Roma didn’t want to sell him to me.
“I always have the doubt that the real owner of Roma is also that of Liverpool.
“A little bird told me in the ear a few years ago but if that were so these two teams would not be able to compete in the Champions League.”
