Liverpool have reached an agreement with Belgian club Genk to sign highly-rated young goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans, though the towering teenager will not move to Anfield immediately.
The 18-year-old, who stands at 6ft 7in, is expected to officially join Liverpool next summer. However, as part of the arrangement, he will be loaned straight back to Genk for the remainder of the current campaign, allowing him to continue his development in Belgian first-team football.
Brughmans, who has represented Belgium at Under-19 level, has made just 13 league appearances for Genk so far in his fledgling career. Liverpool's decision to delay his arrival reflects a desire to see the young shot-stopper accumulate further senior experience before making the step up to Premier League football.
The fee for the deal is understood to be significantly lower than the £28m valuation that had previously been circulated in connection with the goalkeeper, representing a notable saving for the Merseyside club.
The move comes amid uncertainty in Liverpool's goalkeeping department. Alisson Becker, the club's long-standing first-choice keeper, is currently entering the final year of his contract, with his future beyond next summer unresolved. Meanwhile, his understudy, Giorgi Mamardashvili, has reportedly caught the attention of Nottingham Forest, adding further intrigue to Liverpool's plans between the posts.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding their senior goalkeepers, Liverpool have been clear that they do not want Brughmans arriving at Anfield too soon, preferring a gradual integration that prioritizes his continued growth at club level in Belgium before he competes for a place in a Premier League squad.
The goalkeeper deal comes as Liverpool continue to be active in the transfer market this summer. The Merseyside giants are closing in on the signing of forward Bradley Barcola in a deal worth £106m, with the France international having already completed a medical examination. Should the transfer be finalized, Barcola would become the club's fourth new arrival of the summer window.
He would follow in the footsteps of Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz, who have both already joined the club, as well as Ronald Araujo, who arrived at Anfield on loan. The additions underline Liverpool's intent to strengthen multiple areas of the squad as they look to build for the upcoming season and beyond.
While the headline transfer activity this summer has centered on established first-team reinforcements, the Brughmans deal illustrates Liverpool's continued focus on identifying and securing promising young talent from across Europe, even when immediate first-team involvement is not part of the plan. By securing his signature now, Liverpool ensure they have first refusal on a goalkeeper regarded as one of Belgium's brightest young prospects, while avoiding competition from other clubs that might have emerged had the move been delayed further.
Attention will now turn to how Liverpool manage the coming months regarding Alisson's contract situation and Mamardashvili's future, with the goalkeeping picture at Anfield likely to remain a talking point as the club balances present needs with long-term planning.
Based on reporting from The Independent.