Talismanic Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has revealed that he turned down a transfer to Saudi Arabia this summer because he is “really happy” at Anfield.
The Brazilian joined the Reds in 2018 for £66.8 million from Roma, becoming the world’s most expensive goalie at the time.
Liverpool icon rejects mega-money move
Alisson now 31 years old has won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, and Club World Cup over his 261 appearances for Liverpool.
Fabinho, Roberto Firmino, and Jordan Henderson all departed Liverpool for Saudi Arabia in 2023, but Alisson intends to stay on Merseyside.
“I want to honour my contract and finish my contract here or make a new one. I am really happy here. My family is happy,” said Alisson, whose contract runs until 2026.
“I never got to the point where I was talking about wages and things like this. It was just interest, but when you hear about the numbers the other players are getting you are a little bit attracted. That is normal.”
Liverpool are reportedly closing in on signing Valencia custodian Giorgi Mamardashvili to compete with Alisson after the departure of Adrian and with Caoimhin Kelleher seemingly seeking a move away from Anfield.
The 23-year-old Georgia international is set to complete a £30 million transfer before the transfer window closes.
Alisson was aware of the move before news broke and social media got hold of it.
“I knew about that [Mamardashvili] before it came out on social media and that is a good message for me because the club cares about what I think,” said Alisson.
“They are doing the right thing but, on my side, as long as I have my contract here and as long as I am happy here, the club is happy with me, my family is happy here, [so] I will stay.”
Chasing perfection
New head coach Arne Slot is out to tweak Jurgen Klopp’s team into perfection.
“I have said a few times that my responsibility is always to look for perfection even though we all know that perfection is not really achievable,” Slot wrote in his programme notes for Liverpool’s clash with Brentford at Anfield on Sunday.
“It is about being the very best that we can be, as individuals and as a team, and part of this process is never falling into the trap of thinking we are good enough or that we have done enough.
“As I have said many times since coming here, I inherited a very good team from Jürgen and our responsibility now is to do everything we can to build on this legacy. We have a lot of quality and there is also a really positive culture in place, so that the opportunity for us to improve is clear even though it is just as clear that the team did really well last season.
“We are now just taking the first steps in that journey and if our experience of football should tell us anything it is that it will not be easy. But this is also what makes it so exciting. When a club like this one goes in a different direction or looks to become even stronger than it already is, it does so in the knowledge of what is possible and also the support that we will have along the way.”
Can Liverpool win the Premier League in Arne Slot’s first season?
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