Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has been defiant with his comments about Alisson’s future at Anfield, ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League showdown with Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Liverpool looks to now be closing in on finishing inside the coveted top five positions in the Premier League, with a space among the Champions League elite heading their way, if they can finish in these spots.
Currently five points ahead of their nearest challengers, Brighton and Hove Albion, in that final Champions League space, a win against Oliver Glasner’s Eagles would, hopefully, see them push away from the likes of the Seagulls, who are attempting to disrupt the Champions League party.
It won’t be an easy ride for the Reds, however, with the Merseyside giants losing their last three matches against the South London visitors, which included Arne Slot’s men being humbled on penalties, right at the start of the season, in the Community Shield final.
The task of overcoming their bogey team will be made even more difficult by the potential absence of Alisson in between the sticks, with the Brazilian goalkeeper last featuring for the reigning Premier League champions in Premier League action, back in March, when Tottenham Hotspur collected a surprise 1-1 draw at Anfield.
While talk did centre on his injury status, there was also plenty of discussion in the air surrounding the two-time Premier League winner’s future at Anfield, with Juventus reportedly keen to snap up the Reds’ number one stopper.
Slot tackled these rumours head-on when addressing the media ahead of the Palace game.
Slot’s defiant response to Alisson transfer rumours
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Juventus hold Alisson as a dream goalkeeping target ahead of the summer transfer window reopening.
Keen on the idea of returning to Italy, having previously called Serie A home with Roma, it will be intriguing to see what occurs on the transfer front, with the South American potentially walking away from Anfield, after a long-standing, 332-game association with the club.
Until the summer, though, Slot will be putting a lid on these rumours, as he discussed ahead of the Eagles match on Saturday.
He said, when commenting on the transfer rumour mill: “I’m only focused on short term and getting him back in goal. All these rumours that are out there about him or about me or others, we don’t react to rumours in this room.
“Not in my conversations with Richard, we only react when facts need to be told and there’s nothing at the moment. He wants to be in goal for the club he loves to play for and then the country he loves to play for.”
The more pressing concern, involving the injury-prone keeper, will be getting him back to full match sharpness, so he can play a key role in Liverpool securing Champions League football.
Slot did speak rather optimistically about the 33-year-old’s recovery on the injury front, as he prepares to chuck Freddie Woodman into the deep-end as his number one stopper on Saturday, with Giorgi Mamardashvili also stricken with injury.
When will Alisson return?
Alisson’s recurring injury issues at Anfield have been a problem for some time now.
Out of action now for more than a month, Slot has had to rely on the heroics of Woodman, as the third-choice keeper performed bravely during the 2-1 victory against Everton.
The ex-Feyenoord head coach has revealed, though, that Alisson is “close to a return of play”, in a slice of news that will be music to the ears of Liverpool supporters, far and wide.
He said: “Giorgi will definitely not be available and for the upcoming week. Ali is close to a return of play, let’s see if tomorrow comes too early yes or no. That leaves Freddie as an option.”
Woodman will likely play against his former employers tomorrow, in what will be a dream first Premier League start for the Reds.
Past this match, however, Alisson might finally be fit enough for a return to the first team fold, with the number one needing to blow off the cobwebs fast, to help his side pick up some big wins in top-flight action.
