Liverpool legend makes shock prediction over Alisson Becker departure

Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson reckons Alisson Becker will leave the club this summer and he doesn’t necessarily think that is a bad thing.

The Brazilian goalkeeper has been a star performer for the Reds since joining from Roma in 2018.

The move made him the most expensive goalkeeper ever at £66.8m, which raised a few eyebrows, but he has proved a fabulous purchase, having won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup with Liverpool.

Alisson looks set to add another Premier League title to his CV this season, while he could win another League Cup and even a Champions League after his heroics away at PSG this week.

The 71-cap Brazil international turned in a stunning performance in a 1-0 win in France, which gives the Reds a great chance of making the quarter-finals.

Despite all this, Lawrenson thinks the goalkeeper may well be sold in the summer.

The Reds have already agreed a deal to bring in Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia at the end of the season and Lawrenson thinks Alisson will be sold while the club can still get big money for him.

‘I have this feeling that the reason Liverpool have brought in Giorgi Mamardashvili is because Alisson is going to leave in the summer,’ Lawrenson told Paddy Power.

‘I have a feeling that he’ll want to leave, which will leave Caoimhin Kelleher and Mamardashvili fighting for the number one spot.

‘Alisson is now 32 years old, so I think he’ll be looking for one final big payday before he retires. Every team in the world will want Alisson, so if Liverpool can get big money for him, then it works for all parties.’

Liverpool fans may not agree with that sentiment given how important he remains for the team and the fact that at 32 years old he still has plenty of time competing at the top level.

There also remains the very real possibility that Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold could all leave on free transfers when their contracts expire at the end of the season.

Three exits of that stature would be hard enough for the Reds to deal with, to add Alisson to the exodus would only make things more difficult, even with Mamardashvili coming in.

The Georgia international will be making a big step up when he comes to Anfield as he is playing for a Valencia side which is currently sitting 18th in La Liga and in danger of relegation.

Speaking about his upcoming move to Liverpool in October, the 24-year-old warned Alisson that he will be battling to be first choice whether he is there or not.

‘I was attracted by the Liverpool project when the club’s representatives met with me to sign me,’ he said.

‘I will fight for the starting goalkeeper position, even if the current goalkeeper does not leave the team.’

Liverpool boss Arne Slot will not want to lose Alisson this summer, having said there is no better goalkeeper than him on the planet.

‘I have had some very good players as a manager but never the best goalkeeper in the world until now,’ said Slot after the win in Paris. ‘He showed that he is the best in the world today. To go away with a win here was probably a bit more than we deserved.’