Alisson Becker Faces Saudi Interest as Liverpool's Goalkeeper
Liverpool thought they had slammed the door shut on Alisson Becker’s suitors this summer. Juventus had been seen off, Luciano Spalletti denied his reunion with the Brazilian he trusted at Roma, and a one-year option quietly triggered to lock the goalkeeper in until 2027.
For a few weeks, it felt settled. Alisson, 33, was expected to stay at Anfield, ride out his contract and continue as the anchor of a new-look Liverpool side stripped of several senior figures.
Now the calm has gone.
Saudi push for Liverpool’s “guardian”
In Saudi Arabia, the noise is growing. Prominent journalist Mohamed Bukairy claims Al-Ittihad are closing in on a move for the Brazil No 1, describing Alisson as “the guardian of Liverpool's den and the Samba national team” in a post on X.
Bukairy reports that Al-Ittihad, the self-styled “Dean of Saudi Clubs”, have tabled a “tempting” proposal worth more than €11 million a year. That figure would nudge Alisson’s current Liverpool wage upwards – he is understood to earn around £150,000 per week on Merseyside – to the equivalent of roughly £179,000 per week.
In raw numbers, it is only a modest rise. In Saudi tax terms, it becomes something else entirely. That is where the offer bites.
And Al-Ittihad are apparently not alone. Bukairy also notes that Al-Diriyah, newly promoted to the Saudi Pro League, are trying to muscle in and “snag Alisson's gloves”, a remarkable statement of intent from a club only just stepping into the top flight.
Liverpool’s dilemma
On paper, Liverpool still hold the strongest hand. Richard Hughes has already exercised the option to extend Alisson’s deal to 2027, and any Saudi club would need the Reds’ consent before they get anywhere near the signature that matters.
Liverpool’s stance will be shaped not just by money, but by scars. This has already been a summer of departures, with Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konaté leaving a dressing room that suddenly looks far lighter on hardened voices and big-game experience.
Losing Alisson on top of that would not just be another transfer. It would rip out a pillar.
The Brazilian has missed chunks of recent seasons through injury, forcing Giorgi Mamardashvili into extended spells on the pitch last term. Those absences have underlined both how often Liverpool have had to cope without their No 1 and how hard he is to replace when the games start to stack up.
That contrast will sit at the heart of Liverpool’s decision. Do they cash in on a 33-year-old goalkeeper tempted by a tax-free windfall, or do they draw a line and protect what remains of the leadership core?
A test of Liverpool’s resolve
For now, nothing is agreed. No fee, no green light, no farewell.
But the pattern is familiar. Saudi clubs identify a marquee name, test the player’s resolve with a contract that is difficult to ignore, and then wait to see whether the European giant blinks.
Liverpool have already held their nerve once this summer, turning away Juventus. This time, the pressure comes not from Turin but from Jeddah and Diriyah, backed by financial power that can stretch any club’s principles.
If Alisson pushes for the move, the conversation changes. If he doesn’t, Liverpool still have to decide how many leaders they can afford to lose in a single window.
The answer to that question may define more than just their goalkeeper situation. It could shape the character of the next Liverpool team that walks out at Anfield.
