Alisson’s Liverpool Move Only Happened After a Last-Minute Transfer Collapse
Published 14:18 26 Jul 2024 GMT+1
Liverpool’s signing of Alisson Becker from Roma in 2018 was a game-changer for the club, and it’s hard to imagine life without the Brazilian goalkeeper. But what if we told you that Alisson’s move to Anfield only happened because of a last-minute transfer collapse involving French midfielder Nabil Fekir?
Back in 2018, Liverpool were on the hunt for a new goalkeeper after Loris Karius’ disastrous performance in the Champions League final. The Reds eventually signed Alisson for a reported £66.9 million, but it could have been very different if Fekir’s deal had gone through.
Speaking on the Football Historian Podcast, former Liverpool goalkeeper coach John Achterberg revealed that Fekir’s transfer from Lyon to Liverpool fell through, leaving the Reds with the funds to sign Alisson. "But it was all the pieces falling together because if you would have signed [Nabil] Fekir, then there was no money to sign Ali," Achterberg said. "So, we were lucky that the deal fell through."
The impact of Fekir’s deal collapsing was huge for Liverpool. "And then I said, ‘Okay boss, we have to be quick now’ because Chelsea for sure wanted to sign Ali too," Achterberg added. "And they will sell Courtois to Madrid so we have to do it before, and that’s what happened."
After failing to join Liverpool, Fekir eventually left Lyon in 2019 for Spanish La Liga side Real Betis in a deal worth £26.7 million. The 31-year-old Frenchman is now the captain of Betis and is likely to face Liverpool on Friday night as the Reds kick off their pre-season tour of the United States.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Liverpool, Alisson Becker, Chelsea, Football
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