Roma Confirm Departure of Alisson With Liverpool Set to Complete World Record Signing on 5-Year Deal

AS Roma have confirmed the departure of Brazilian star Alisson to Liverpool, ending a long-running transfer saga and breaking the world record fee paid for a goalkeeper. 

The record-breaking fee is believed to stand at €75m including add-ons, with the 25-year-old signing a five-year deal at Anfield to usurp Simon Mignolet, Loris Karius, Danny Ward and Adam Bogdan in the Merseyside club's disrupted pecking order.

The trail on the long-running saga went quiet over the World Cup, with Alisson at the tournament with Brazil, but a phone call with Jurgen Klopp on Tuesday followed by a flurry of negotiations saw things move along rapidly. 

Liverpool have yet to confirm the deal, but an image has circulated on social media showing the player in the club's colours and signing his contract. He completed his medical on Thursday afternoon before also being pictured leaving Liverpool airport.

The Reds have now broken world records for the highest fees spent on a goalkeeper and a defender in the last year.

It's a startling turnaround for Jurgen Klopp, who said in the past: "Other clubs can go out and spend more money and collect top players. I want to do it differently. I would even do it differently if I could spend that money."

Chelsea were the club expected to provide the most competition for the Brazil international's services as they look to replace Thibaut Courtois, who is nearing a move to Real Madrid before next month's transfer deadline. 

Roma only made the Brazilian a starter in their side last season, having left him to sit on the bench behind Wojciech Szczesny in his first season in Europe following a €7.5m move from Internacional.

The Italian side are expected to spend some of the profits from the move on a former Liverpool man, taking Suso from Serie A rivals AC Milan, while Paris Saint-Germain's Alphonse Areola is the most likely target to directly replace Alisson.