Alisson Becker Remains Liverpool’s Undisputed No.1 as Future Plans Take Shape | OneFootball

Alisson Becker: Still the Number One in Liverpool’s Stable of Stoppers

As Liverpool closes out a glorious Premier League-winning season, one figure remains quietly central to the club’s consistency and structure—Alisson Becker. The Brazilian, now 32, has long been regarded as the world’s finest goalkeeper, and nothing this season has dislodged that notion. The quarter-final performance away to PSG was the greatest show of skill and brilliance I have ever witnessed from a goalkeeper, therefore, the question of replacing a man showing he is still the best seems a decision that should be put back. Despite the emergence of a new wave of elite goalkeeping talent across Europe, Alisson’s calm presence, sweeping instincts, and unmatched shot-stopping continue to give Liverpool an edge that statistics alone can’t capture. Without the performances of the former Roma keeper, a title race may well have materialised, however, he and the other senior legends have ensured a smooth pathway to the title and it cannot be overlooked.

With 31 appearances this campaign and a potential to close the season with 35, his enduring fitness and impact suggest that, while the future is being planned, the present still belongs to Liverpool’s No.1. With Caoimhin Kelleher finally set to secure a move for beyond £25 million, the club faces the dual task of evolving the position while continuing to extract the best years from their generational goalkeeper.

A Safe Pair of Hands and a Strategic Succession Plan

Arne Slot can now help to shape not only a title-winning squad but also continue to oversee the best goalkeeper on the planet, backed by a pipeline of promising talent. Giorgi Mamardashvili will officially arrive in the summer—highly rated, physically imposing, and capable of becoming a world-class operator in the years to come. But there’s no rush and despite the £29m outlay for the monstrous stopper, it can still be something that is brought along slowly. Liverpool’s approach, steered by Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes, is not built on urgency—it’s built on evolution.

I believe that Mamardashvili may be loaned immediately, with a Premier League move likely. Bournemouth could be ideal and appears likely to be in the market for a new keeper. The Cherries are unlikely to keep Kepa Arrizabalaga due to his massive wages, and Liverpool maintains a strong interest in their full-back Milos Kerkez and elite young talent, centre-back Dean Huijsen. A loan agreement involving the Georgian could grease the wheels of a multi-faceted negotiation that would suit all parties, including Ali. Such an endeavour also buys time and allows the 24-year-old to acclimatise to English football without the weight of replacing Alisson from day one.

In the meantime, Vítězslav Jaroš—highly rated within the halls of the AXA Training Centre—could be promoted to understudy. The Czech shot-stopper has shown real promise and would benefit greatly from working closely with Alisson week-in, week-out. Harvey Davies, too, could step into the third-choice role, keeping the goalkeeping unit youthful, driven, and ready.

Why Alisson Still Sets the Standard

Amidst all the planning, Liverpool should not lose sight of the value Alisson Becker continues to bring and his hand in securing the Premier League title. His outrageous presence allows the defence to play higher, the midfield to take greater risks, and the attackers to press with abandon. In many ways, he is the tactical foundation of Slot’s next great Liverpool side and it would be foolish to part ways with someone so dominating. With Salah and Van Dijk extending their respective contracts, it would only be logical for Alisson to join that elite tier of players locked in through 2027 and beyond.

The famous Brazilian is as vital to this team as anyone else and that will be well noted by the players and coaching staff alike. An abundance of experience, leadership, and ability to produce world-class moments when Liverpool needs them most make him irreplaceable—for now at least. With no signs of physical decline or regression, another year or two of elite goalkeeping is entirely realistic.

The rebuild is already underway, and the long-term plan is clear for all who saw what Michael Edwards once helped build. However, before Mamardashvili ascends and takes the famous gloves before Davies or Jaroš get their turn, Liverpool should take a moment to recognise the present: Alisson Becker, still the best in the world, and still the safest bet in football.