Massive deal: the "new Courtois" knocks on Anfield's door

One step away from joining

Liverpool are lining up a move for Genk's young Belgian goalkeeper Luca Bruggemans in a deal that could be worth up to 35 million euros. It forms part of the club's plan to secure the goalkeeping position amid uncertainty over the futures of Giorgi Mamardashvili and Alisson Becker.

Belgian transfer market expert Sacha Tavolieri reports that Genk value Bruggemans, 18 and standing at around two metres tall, at roughly 35 million euros. His switch to Liverpool is tied directly to Mamardashvili's future at Anfield during the closing hours of the transfer window.

In Belgium, Bruggemans is rated as one of the brightest rising talents between the posts. He has even been dubbed "the new Courtois", a nod to his compatriot Thibaut Courtois, the Real Madrid goalkeeper who launched his career at Genk before climbing to the summit of European football.

The irony is that Liverpool have already signed Mamardashvili, paying around 30 million euros to bring him in from Valencia. They kept him on loan for a season before he joined the squad, making the Georgian one of the future options to protect the Anfield goal.

Mamardashvili's future, though, may decide the fate of the Bruggemans deal. Word is that Liverpool will sign the Belgian as soon as the Georgian departs, while Bruggemans stays on loan at Genk for another season if Mamardashvili remains.

This move comes as part of a wider reshuffle between the posts. Alisson's contract runs down in June 2027, and there is little clarity over whether the club intends to extend their ties with the Brazilian, who turns 34 next October.

Alisson joined Liverpool in the summer of 2018 from Roma for 72 million euros. He has since cemented his status as one of the finest goalkeepers in the club's history, but Liverpool have already started thinking about the next stage, whether with Mamardashvili in place or through a new talent such as Bruggemans.