Liverpool could sell goalkeeper Alisson Becker in the summer of 2026 in order to install Giorgi Mamardashvili as number one, Liverpool transfer expert David Lynch has claimed.
The Merseysiders emerged as 2-1 victors against West Ham United on Sunday thanks to goals from Luis Diaz and Virgil van Dijk, but boss Arne Slot will be concerned by his team's second-half performance.
Were it not for goalkeeper Alisson Becker, the Reds could have easily dropped points, but the Brazilian proved once again why he is considered amongst the best shot-stoppers in the Premier League.
With Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili set to join the Reds in the summer, Lynch suggested that the club may only keep Alisson at Anfield for one more season, telling Sports Mole: "There's quite a lot up in the air in terms of the Saudi clubs in for Alisson - [will they be in] more firmly this summer? There was definite interest last summer. They did contact his representatives.
"Do they come in harder? Is he willing to go? If the money's right, are Liverpool willing to let that happen or do they see it as the ideal situation? I think this is the way they would like this to play out, to get another season of Alisson after this with Mamardashvili as the number two getting plenty of games because we've seen Kelleher's played plenty this season.
"Then maybe next summer, then they could send Alisson off with everyone's well wishes. In theory, that's how Liverpool would ideally see it play out, but like I said, a lot up in the air at the moment and no firm decisions made yet."
Given Alisson will be 33 years old by the end of the 2025-26 season and would have just a year remaining on his deal, it would not be surprising if Liverpool looked to move him on.
How important has Alisson been for Liverpool?
Alisson made four saves, six recoveries and acted as a sweeper once against West Ham, with the Hammers creating four big chances and hitting the woodwork twice.
Plaudits have often been given to the likes of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk this term, and while they have deserved praise, the impact of Alisson has perhaps gone under the radar.
Lynch argued that there is no better goalkeeper than the 32-year-old when he told Sports Mole: "The last two games underlined the step in quality between those two players, Kelleher and Alisson. You came away from the Fulham game thinking that while Liverpool did deserve to lose that game, if Alisson's there for a couple of those goals, they may not go in.
"One in particular goes through Kelleher's legs, and it doesn't feel like one that Alisson would concede. You come into [the West Ham] game and Alisson plays a huge part in Liverpool coming away with the win to the point that you'd say they don't win the game if they don't have him in goal. For me, he is the best goalkeeper in the world at the moment and continually shows that.
"[He makes] some outrageous saves - the one from Kudus in the first half is really good to tip it onto the bar, but then the trademark one is Jarrod Bowen when he charges out, makes himself so big, and you always back him in those situations, whereas usually most other goalkeepers you would think that when a forward of that quality gets that chance, it's ending up in the back of the net."
Alisson has only featured in 22 of Liverpool's 32 Premier League games - with Caoimhín Kelleher starting 10 times - and the team only dropped 13 points in that time compared to seven in the period he missed.
© Imago
Why was Alisson needed against West Ham?
Though the performance from Alisson against West Ham was exceptional, Slot will be concerned that his side had to rely on the heroics of their goalkeeper to claim all three points.
With the Reds knowing that they needed just three wins from seven games to win the Premier League title prior to their match against the Hammers, there were accusations that the team had not taken their clash as seriously as they should have.
However, Lynch expressed his view to Sports Mole that he did not think the Reds' poor second-half display was due to arrogance, saying: "I wonder whether it was more to do with the stakes and that natural reaction that you have in matches where it's 1-0 and the later it gets, the more you get into the mindset of 'we've got to hold what we've got here, we've got a one-goal lead, let's not throw it away'.
"You get caught sometimes and it seemed like one of those games. That first half was really impressive, and I thought going in 1-0 at half time, having played really well - a good performance off the back of a disappointment at Fulham - you thought it was going to be a handy win, that they're going to have this wrapped up in decent time and it's going to be one of those comfortable afternoons.
"It's a combination of Liverpool and their mentality, but also West Ham's mentality and quality, which is something we should acknowledge because I said this after the match that if you look through that team and they end the day in 17th in the Premier League table, they've [still] got Jarrod Bowen, Paqueta, Kudus - I thought they were all very impressive on the day."
Regardless of the performance, the victory ensured that Liverpool need just two wins from their final six games of the season to be crowned champions.
Lewis Nolan
