Liverpool rejected the chance to sign Alisson for €4.5 million in 2015

Alisson Becker became the world's most expensive goalkeeper last Friday as Liverpool splashed out a record-breaking €62.5 million for the Brazilian shot-stopper. However, the Merseyside club could have captured his signature for as little as €4.5 million just three years ago.

According to reports from the Sunday Mirror, Liverpool along with several Championship and Premier League clubs were sent an informative dossier containing a scouting report on the goalkeeper. At the time, Alisson was playing for the Brazilian club, Internacional, and his agents were trying to secure a permanent move to England.

The dossier contained wide-ranging information about the upcoming star, including personal testimonials from players such as former Brazilian international goalkeeper, Claudio Taffarel. Having been capped at U-17 and U-23 level for Brazil, Alisson was described as a rising star and Internacional was keen to cash in on their prized asset.

Working with a UK-based intermediary, Alisson's dossier was distributed to numerous clubs around England offering the goalkeeper for an upfront price of €3.5 million with various add-ons of €1 million should he keeper achieve certain targets. However, there were surprisingly no takers in England and the Brazilian eventually moved to Roma a year later for €8 million.

Alisson was Brazil's number one goalkeeper in the World Cup

By the time he signed for Roma in 2016, Alisson was already firmly installed as Brazil's number one choice goalkeeper having played in five World Cup qualifying games and represented his country at the Copa America Centenario. Spending most of his debut season in Rome as understudy to Wojciech Szczesny, Alisson secured the number one jersey last season.

While Liverpool wasn't the only English club to reject the opportunity to sign Alisson in 2015, they are perhaps the most surprising. Since being taken over by Fenway Sports Group, the Merseyside club has implemented a system of identifying young and upcoming talent for bargain prices. Adopted from baseball, the so-called "Moneyball" system is a key component of John W. Henry's running of the Anfield club.

At the time they were offered Alisson Becker, Liverpool was struggling badly in the goalkeeping department. Simon Mignolet had arrived from Sunderland for €10 million in 2013 but was proving unreliable as a first choice goalkeeper. This led to the signing of Loris Karius in 2016 for a fee of €5.3 million. Both keepers have been slugging it out for the number one jersey over the past two seasons.

While Liverpool eventually got their man, there is sure to be some form of inquest among the hierarchy at Anfield. Why was a goalkeeper who would go on to make his full debut for Brazil just three months later dismissed in 2015? Why was Alisson not considered again in 2016 when Liverpool signed Loris Karius while the Brazilian moved to Roma?

A little foresight and a better scouting department may have saved Liverpool a small fortune and solved their goalkeeping crises two or three seasons ago. Instead, the Merseysiders have paid a world record fee to secure their man and shone a spotlight on every move Alisson Becker will make during the season ahead.