Belgian Thibaut Courtois remains the number one at Chelsea for the time being, but Stamford Bridge reportedly expect the goalkeeper to bolt this summer. If he does in fact exit the club, then AS Roma shot-stopper and Liverpool target Alisson would then be their most desired potential replacement.
That’s according to the Daily Mail, who report that the Brazilian “is expected to command a fee of around £60 million with Liverpool and Real Madrid also interested. The Blues are resigned to Courtois’ departure as the Belgian wants to take his young family back to Madrid.”
Courtois, who previously starred for Atletico Madrid, has often talked up the idea of living life in Spain and how much he misses his family that reside there to the press. He’s been linked to Real Madrid quite consistently over the past couple seasons, with Paris Saint-Germain often coming up as a potential destination too.
The Mail adds that PSG are more likely to pursue Gianluigi Buffon however. If Courtois excels at the World Cup, then his price would obviously go up in the transfer market, and with Chelsea contract extension talks having stalled in December, his future with the club is in doubt.
Getting back to Alisson, who is actually the protagonist here in this story of transfer window goalkeeper carousel, he’s coming off a tremendous season in Serie A and Europe, and his value is rising.
He helped Roma reach the UEFA Champions League semifinals, and that has resulted in a really nice revenue infusion for the club, who won’t have to feel strained by Financial Fair Play concerns this summer (the reason they gave for having to sell Mo Salah last summer).
Of course, that means they could be less likely to sell Alisson too.
Then again…everybody has a price, and Liverpool are now reportedly very much in the market for a new #1, as Loris Karius had about as disastrous a UCL final match as possible.
LFC might give Roma an offer they can’t refuse; especially if Alisson shines for Brazil at the World Cup, and then drives his price up even further.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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