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Liverpool have finalized the acquisition of 18-year-old goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans from Genk for a base fee of $38.3 million (£28.3 million), with an additional $2.3 million (£1.7 million) in possible performance-related bonuses.
The young shot-stopper has turned heads with his standout displays in Belgium, having made 15 senior appearances for Genk. He cemented his place as the club's number one keeper toward the close of last season and has started every one of their four league fixtures this campaign.
Standing at 6ft 7in, Brughmans has been compared to former Genk goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, and he even wears the same No. 28 shirt once sported by the current Real Madrid custodian.
Having also shone for Belgium's youth sides — including leading his nation as captain at the Under-17 World Cup last year — Brughmans is widely regarded as one of the most talented young goalkeepers in European football.
There is, however, a caveat for Liverpool. Brughmans will not be immediately available to the Reds, as he is set to remain at Genk throughout the 2026–27 season to continue developing his first-team experience.
We have agreed a deal to sign goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans from KRC Genk 🔴
The 18-year-old has put pen to paper on a long-term contract with the Reds and will now return to Genk for the duration of the 2026-27 season 🧤 pic.twitter.com/9p5z60gE6w
New Arrival Sparks Goalkeeper Debate
Liverpool are showing prudent foresight in planning ahead for the goalkeeping position. Alisson, who turns 34 in October, is entering the final year of his deal and is not assured of extending his time at Anfield beyond this season.
The Brazilian was heavily linked with a transfer to Juventus over the summer, though Liverpool moved swiftly to quash any talk of his departure. Nevertheless, an exit next summer looks increasingly plausible.
Alisson's fitness has been a recurring concern for Liverpool in recent years, with the goalkeeper managing 35 appearances or fewer across each of the past three seasons. As a result, the club have been actively seeking his long-term replacement.
Following Caoimhín Kelleher's departure to Brentford, it seemed that Giorgi Mamardashvili would step into the role. The Georgian international was recruited from Valencia in 2024 before making the permanent switch last summer.
The 25-year-old featured regularly for Liverpool last season amid Alisson's injury absences, yet struggled to fully convince in a side that underperformed. His distribution in particular drew criticism, despite his ability as a shot-stopper being evident from his showings at Euro 2024.
Mamardashvili's long-term future at Merseyside now looks uncertain beyond this campaign, with Brughmans potentially earmarked as Alisson's eventual successor instead.