The Best Premier League Transfers Ever: Alisson Becker to Liverpool (2018/19)

David Lynch

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 3 min read

Alisson Becker is perhaps the best proof that it’s impossible for any team to win silverware without a top goalkeeper.

After three cup final defeats in three years under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool decided they needed to finally splash the cash on a world-class glovesman in the summer of 2018.

That they have since gone on to secure four trophies – the Premier League, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup – in just two seasons is no coincidence.

This article is part of FootballTransfers’ greatest-ever Premier League deals. We have selected just one standout transfer from every season of the Premier League, including two honourable mentions. This list will then be gathered to provide a definitive list of the best pieces of business in the Premier League era.

Alisson Becker, AS Roma to Liverpool, £67m

AS Roma’s desire to right the wrongs of Mohamed Salah’s move to Anfield 12 months earlier made the prospective signing of Alisson more difficult than it might have been for Liverpool.

Having paid just £38m to sign a player who then went on to score 44 goals in his debut season on Merseyside, the Reds were facing a ‘tax’ on their latest attempt to negotiate with Roma.

But there was no doubt in Klopp’s mind that something needed to be done between the sticks regardless.

The campaign prior had ended with Loris Karius costing his team the Champions League final, and an uncertain showing in a pre-season friendly at Tranmere showed that the German had not recovered.

As such, Liverpool pushed on with plans to sign Alisson, a player they had tracked since his breakthrough at Internacional years before.

Klopp was forced to wait until late in the window, with interest from Real Madrid and Chelsea somewhat aiding Roma in their attempts to push up the price.

Ultimately, though, the Brazilian only ever wanted a move to the Premier League, arriving for a fee that was briefly the record for a goalkeeper until Kepa Arrizabalaga’s move to Stamford Bridge days later.

Alisson has since proven to be more than worth the outlay, establishing himself as one of the best in his position in the world as the trophies have rolled in.

One moment in particular stands out: a last-gasp save from Napoli forward Arkadiusz Milik in the final group game of the Champions League that stopped the Reds crashing out en route to winning the tournament that year.

But there have been many other memorable contributions and, aged just 28, the Brazil international will hope to make many more in the coming years.

Fabinho, Monaco to Liverpool, £43.7m

Heartbroken Liverpool fans were still travelling back from watching their team’s defeat Champions League final in Kiev when news of Fabinho’s imminent signing broke.

The Reds had put together a memorable European run and secured a top-four finish once again that season, but the desire to do even more meant that transfers had already been lined up.

Fabinho has certainly fulfilled his remit of strengthening Klopp’s midfield, his reading of the game and combative qualities providing further protection for an already impressive backline.

The Brazilian has had an opportunity to show off his versatility this season in moving to centre-half following injuries to Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez.

And, true to his nature as a world-class footballer, has been flawless – much like Liverpool’s recent transfer market track record.

Danny Ings, Southampton to Liverpool, £20m

While Liverpool have also done well in terms of selling players of late, they might well wish they had asked for more money for Danny Ings.

The striker’s three years at Anfield were unfortunately disrupted by two separate serious knee injuries that prevented him for fulfilling his potential.

So, when it came time to move on and attempt to relaunch his career elsewhere, he only ever wanted to join the club he supported as a boy.

Ings has since scored 39 goals in 79 appearances for the Saints, and came within one goal of the Premier League Golden Boot last term after finding the back of the net on 22 occasions in the top-flight.

The Englishman is firmly back to his best, and that £20m looks like a snip.