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Liverpool FC is on the back of a great season and they look poised to re-establish themselves as a top four team, considering they have had back-to-back top-four finishes. They have had a decent Premier League campaign, as they managed to qualify for the Champions League once again. Along with that, they made it all the way to the Champions League final where they lost to Real Madrid.
That loss may sting Jurgen Klopp and his men, but one of the biggest factors in that final were the mistakes of the goalkeeper, Loris Karius. Karius was directly responsible for two goals that went in. The first goal, scored by Karim Benzema, saw him give the ball straight to the Real Madrid striker along with the lead. The second mistake put the nail in the coffin, as he failed to save a straight shot by Gareth Bale, for the score to become 3-1. Along with this, Karius has had two sub-par Premier League campaigns and it is time for Liverpool to make a change with regards to their goalkeeping situation. With that in mind, we have prepared a scouting report in which we look at 5 possible goalkeeping signings that Liverpool should make.
#5 Alban Lafont (Toulouse)
Alban Lafont kicks off this list of possible replacements for Karius only because of how highly rated he is as a goalkeeper at this age. The 19-year-old goalkeeper is linked with the biggest clubs all over Europe and it seems just a matter of time before he leaves French side Toulouse for a greater challenge. He already has 100+ appearances under his belt and kept an impressive 16 clean sheets last season for Toulouse.
Lafont has already created an impressive resume for himself at such a tender age. He has shown the promise to become one of the next great goalkeepers in the world of football. He is yet to win a French cap but has been capped at every youth level for the country. He is perfect for Liverpool, as he complements Klopp relative attacking style really well. He is used to be under pressure at Toulouse, and he also has the ability to be a wonderful sweeper keeper.
The French youngster can be a deadly presence at the back if Liverpool and Klopp choose to stump out the 20 Million+ that will be required to get him to make the switch. In this market, does that even mean a lot of money?
#4 Jack Butland (Stoke City)
Jack Butland may just be the number one for Gareth Southgate in Russia. That being said, it is very surprising to think that one of the best English goalkeepers is going to be playing in the Championship next season, as Stoke City have been relegated. He has been with Stoke City since 2014 and was the firm number one choice for the Potters this season. The 25-year-old goalkeeper is bound to leave Stoke this summer, but should Liverpool be his destination?
Butland has been one of the highest rated goalkeepers in the Premier League for a while but never chose to leave Stoke. However, now that Stoke has been relegated, Butland must make the switch and leave that team. Perhaps Anfield is the best place for the English GK. Butland has the best saves per match ratio, as he has made an average of 4.1 saves every match. That is an insane statistic and probably bodes well for Liverpool to have such a steady pair of hands in goal for them. Even though Butland's value lingers a little above 25 million, he could probably sell for far less than the amount, given Stoke's recent relegation to the English second division.
#3 Alisson Becker (AS Roma)
Alisson is going to be the number one for Brazil in Russia ahead of Ederson Moraes, a man who just won the Premier League with Manchester City. That should say a lot about the raw talent that the Roma man possesses. The 25-year-old is a sure bet, but may just still be a risk. He has a fair amount of experience already and looks like the most likely member to join Liverpool this summer.
Alisson has an impressive 22 clean sheets this season while maintaining almost 3 saves a match. These stats must make Jurgen Klopp salivate, considering he needs a player like Alisson marshaling the back of Liverpool. He has fair amounts of quality for a player his age and has space for it to grow.
That can happen if he gets the right environment to grow, so joining something like Liverpool can do exactly that for him. He can flourish in the Red's system, provided he chooses to join. His 50 million+ valuation may be a bit off-putting but established quality demands more money. Speaking of that...
#2 Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)
The first true world-class goalkeeper in this list, Oblak is easily one of the best goalkeepers in football right now. The Atletico Madrid man is a star in the goalkeeping department of the La Liga, alongside stars like ter Stegen and Keylor Navas. A goalkeeper of his quality will, without a doubt, succeed in Liverpool.
An old-school goalkeeper, Oblak doesn't let flash dictate his image, but his effectiveness and accountability do the talking for him. Considering he has already established himself as one of the best at the age of 25 years old, Oblak has a long career at this level of football ahead of him.
What we saw from the last few picks in the list are keepers who have limitless potential, but may just fail on a level that Liverpool competes at. However, Oblak is a Champions League finalist and a Europa League winner. He has accomplished that by being the first-choice for one of Europe's strongest teams.
He also has the room to grow into an even better goalkeeper and may just be the best goalkeeper that Liverpool could sign. However, Atletico's high valuation of him could see the Merseyside club pay anything between 60 million to 85 million for the keeper. If Liverpool is ready to spend that much, there is no reason for them to not do so for someone like Jan Oblak.
#1 Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan)
Donnarumma is easily one of the most desirable goalkeepers in the world right now. There is no prospect hotter than Gianluigi Donnarumma. He has been a starter for AC Milan for almost three seasons now and has taken over the number one spot for Italy from Buffon. He has played almost 150 senior matches and still is just 19 years old right now. AC Milan has a star in their hands, so it is natural that clubs try to pry away this talent from them.
AC Milan have failed to get European football yet again, and Liverpool is conveniently in the Champions League next season. This lines up perfectly with the wishes of the player and the club. Donnarumma is a player that is a tantalizing prospect and a great player at the same time. He has been tested at the top level of football, and also has years to grow and become a better player.
This must be a perfect marriage, as managers like Jurgen Klopp know how to get the best out of players like Donnarumma. Considering Donnarumma's release clause has dropped to a meager 35 million, Liverpool must be one of the first in line to activate it and make the Italian a Red.
