Today, the long-awaited transfer of Alisson from Roma to Liverpool took shape and now the only thing missing is for the player to undergo his medicals and sign his contract after having arrived in England late this evening. The passage of the Brazilian from Serie A to the Premier League will be the most expensive transfer for a goalkeeper in world football as the Giallorossi will earn a €75 million fee from his sale. Alisson is obviously a massive coup for the Champions League runners-up, who now find themselves with a top-five goalkeeper in the world who is in the prime of his career. But where does this leave Roma?
The Giallorossi now find themselves without the best goalkeeper from Serie A last season. Alisson, without doubt, singlehandedly earned Roma points last season. World class performances against the likes Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, and Napoli saw the Brazilian’s name catapult into the conversation of the best stoppers in world, leaving a massive hole in between the sticks for Roma.
The biggest problem for Roma is that any name that arrives will be a downgrade, guaranteeing that they’ll have to make up for the loss of Alisson in other areas of the pitch. The first candidate, though, who has been tabbed as the Brazilian’s replacement is Alphonse Areola. With the arrival of Gianluigi Buffon, the young Frenchman now finds himself no longer a guaranteed first-choice starter. Areola, who has had his ups and downs in Paris, does have the experience of playing at a big club at an extremely high level, which would make the transition to Roma easier.
The other name rumored to be the potential heir to Alisson is Sweden’s Robin Olsen. The big Swede, who caught the attention of many this summer for his World Cup performances, has been inconsistent during his time at Copenhagen, though, he has showed flashes of brilliance. Physically imposing standing 1.98m (6’6”) tall, he certainly has the physical traits you look for in a top goalkeeper, however, he is often prone to making a silly mistake, which is the last thing Roma can afford.
Regardless of who is ultimately chosen as the successor to Alisson, it’s without a doubt they’ll be under immense pressure. Roma now find themselves without a top goalkeeper and it will be up to Ramon Monchi to ensure the absence of the Brazilian isn’t noticeable in the results. Of the several names rumored to Roma that haven’t been mentioned above such as Gianluigi Donnarumma, Jeroen Zoet, and several others, the safest and best choice, at the moment, appears to be Areola. Given Monchi’s close relationship with the agent of the player, Mino Raiola, and the uncertainty surrounding his role at PSG, Areola has the right pedigree to succeed at Roma. It would be wise for the Italian side to take the safe bet, which comes in the form of Areola. However, it remains to be seen if the Frenchman ultimately decides to move on from the French champions and his boyhood club.
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