‘Been told’ – James Pearce outlines how Liverpool stalwart feels about Saudi Pro League interest | OneFootball

James Pearce has claimed that one Liverpool player who’s been linked with a move overseas isn’t yet ‘preparing to say goodbye’ at Anfield.

Last summer, Alisson Becker turned down the chance to relocate to the Saudi Pro League as he and his family were happy with life on Merseyside (BBC Sport).

As per Transfermarkt, his current contract with the Reds runs to June 2027, by which time he’ll be three months out from his 35th birthday.

What has Pearce said about Alisson?

Speaking on the latest episode of the Walk On podcast, Pearce hasn’t completed ruled out the possibility of Alisson leaving for Saudi Arabia in the future, but he doesn’t expect the goalkeeper to move on from Liverpool any time soon.

The Athletic journalist said: “Alisson came out and said that it wasn’t his plan [to leave] and he still intended to see out the contract that he’s got, which is effectively two years this summer. I think one of the years is an option, but effectively two years.

“Liverpool’s stance is that signing Giorgi Mamardashvili was about succession planning. I’ve also been told that they know Alisson has had a lot of interest from the Saudi Pro League in the past couple of years.

“Each time he’s said no, but of course you don’t know whether there will be an offer that comes further down the line which is just too good to say no to, especially for someone who will be 33 later on this year. I’ve certainly got no reason to believe that Alisson is preparing to say goodbye.”

(Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Alisson still a crucial player for Liverpool

With Alisson still having more than two years on his current contract, there isn’t the same urgent need for Liverpool to resolve his future that there is with fellow thirty-somethings Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk, whose deals expire this summer.

The Brazilian may be 32 but he could easily keep playing for several more years, and on the evidence of his performance against Bournemouth on Saturday, he’s showing absolutely no hint of decline.

Mamardashvili has his eyes set on challenging our current number 1 for a place in the starting XI rather than merely settling for being the understudy, but dislodging the former Roma stopper will be no easy ask, as Caoimhin Kelleher can readily testify.

Alisson has seen several ex-Liverpool teammates lured to the Saudi Pro League (Fabinho, Sadio Mane, Bobby Firmino, Gini Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson), but if he is to follow suit, hopefully that won’t be for some time yet, given his continued important to the Reds and his exceptional displays as our last line of defence.