Brad Friedel names PL goalkeeper he’d like to see at Liverpool if Alisson leaves this summer | OneFootball

Brad Friedel has named the Premier League goalkeeper who he’d like to see at Liverpool if Alisson Becker were to depart this summer.

The Reds’ number 1 has been the subject of much speculation over a potential transfer to Juventus, although Fabrizio Romano claimed this week that Anfield chiefs have made it very clear to the 33-year-old that they want him to stay for at least the duration of his current contract (expires June 2027).

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The Brazil international has endured a couple of injury-plagued seasons since Arne Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp two years ago, but he underlined his world-class credentials with a stunning save against Brentford last weekend.

Friedel names ideal Alisson successor if Reds’ number 1 departs

In an interview with GOAL (in association with MrQ), Friedel said that Alisson would be ‘one of the hardest goalkeepers to replace in global football’ if he were to leave Liverpool this summer, and he named a current Premier League stopper as someone who’d be an ideal replacement if our number 1 were to depart.

When the suggestion of James Trafford was put to the former Reds ‘keeper, he replied: “Possibly, but you need someone with a skin of leather. You need someone who’s going to be able to play in all the big matches.

“You need someone who expects to win the Champions League, not just play in it. Expects to win the Champions League, win the Premier League, win the FA Cup and win the League Cup. It’s a different type of mentality that you need when you’re a goalkeeper at these top clubs, and it’s not easy to find.

“Trafford’s a really good goalkeeper. I like him a lot, but that’s also a lot to load onto him. Maybe the likes of an Emi Martínez, someone like that, that can take all the games all the time, any criticism, any plaudits, and they know how to deal with it. There aren’t many out there that you can just pinpoint and say: ‘He’s our guy’. That’s a hard decision.”

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Keeping Alisson would be the best scenario

First and foremost, we fully agree with Friedel that Alisson will be an incredibly hard goalkeeper for Liverpool to replace when the time comes for him to depart Merseyside.

Giorgi Mamardashvili was signed with that long-term intention in mind, but while the Georgian has pulled off some excellent saves in his first season with the Reds, he’s yet to show that he looks capable of replicating the Brazilian’s world-class brilliance on a consistent basis.

As to whether FSG would heed the American’s suggestion of Martinez as a potential option at Anfield, we don’t doubt that the Aston Villa ‘keeper is one of the foremost exponents in his position currently (he was named in The Best FIFA Men’s 11 last year), but realistically it’s difficult to imagine him coming to LFC.

His age profile (he turns 34 in September) doesn’t align with Liverpool’s typical recruitment model, and it’d surely take persuasion on a miraculous level from sporting director Richard Hughes to convince the Midlands club to part with the 2022 World Cup winner.

In any case, we’d much prefer for Alisson to stay on for at least another year than for Martinez (who’s a month older than him) to come in and take his place. Fingers crossed that our current number 1 will stay put and the Juventus rumours will ultimately subside.