Jurgen Klopp Reveals Record Signing Alisson Is 'Desperate to Play' as Reds Fall to Dortmund
Liverpool's new goalkeeper Alisson Becker is 'desperate' to link up with his new teammates on pre-season and make his first team debut, following his £67m move from AS Roma.
The Brazilian keeper was left at home as the Reds travelled to the US to take part in the International Champions Cup. However, his new team could've used his help in the 3-1 defeat to Jurgen Klopp's former side Dortmund in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Speaking ahead of the game, Klopp insistent that the world's most expensive stopper needed a rest after a busy year, ahead the opening game of the new Premier League season in three weeks.
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"When I saw him at Melwood, he looked fit," said Klopp (via Sky Sports). "He's desperate to play. He wanted to stay, but it made absolutely no sense.
"He's had a long year. As Brazil number one, it was quite an intense year. The World Cup is not a tournament you only play a little bit, it was intense. So I sent him on holiday again."
Alisson isn't the only player Klopp has had to force to take an extended holiday with club captain Jordan Henderson also overly eager to return to first team duties early despite an intense World Cup with England.
Klopp suggested that Alisson could still make an appearance in pre-season, with Napoli on August 4 a possibility, but left his options open for the Premier League season curtain raiser.
He continued: "There will still be two games to play before West Ham and then West Ham is only the first game of the season, not the last one. So we will see."
For many Liverpool fans, Alisson's introduction to the team can't come soon enough, with Loris Karius - who Klopp called 'an outstanding goalkeeper' - receiving criticism for another error in the 3-1 International Champions Cup defeat to Dortmund in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Karius was at fault for the third as Jacob Bruun Larsen finished after Karius parried into his path, while Christian Pulisic scored twice before to negate Virgil van Dijk's first half header.
