‘Alisson a Liverpool bargain & worth way over £100m’ – Brazilian keeper is ‘world’s best’, says Kirkland

Eyebrows may have been raised when Liverpool invested £65 million ($81m) in Alisson but that transfer fee has been made to look like “a bargain”, says former Reds goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.

Those at Anfield smashed recruitment records in the summer of 2018 when bringing in the Brazil international goalkeeper.

The talented South American was lured away from Serie A giants Roma, with Jurgen Klopp prepared to spend big on a proven performer to fill what had become a problematic position in his side.

Alisson arrived with a big reputation, but adjusting to the demands of life in English football is never easy.

The 27-year-old made it look so, with his debut campaign delivering Champions League glory and a Premier League Golden Glove.

Along with commanding centre-half Virgil van Dijk, the classy keeper has proved to be one of the final pieces of the puzzle on Merseyside.

His value has continued to rise on the back of his consistent performances, with Kirkland claiming that his hefty asking price has been paid back and nudged up a few more notches.

The ex-Reds shot-stopper told the Liverpool Echo of Alisson: "The recruitment to bring him here was perfect.

"For that amount of money, it is a bargain. At the time, you thought £65m was a lot of money, but now, he is worth way over £100m, way over."

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Alisson has been widely recognised as the finest performer on the planet in his chosen position, with individual awards and acclaim raining down on him.

"I think all these awards tell you everything you need to know about him," added Kirkland. "He is getting greedy isn't he!

"Listen, I am not biased, he is the world's best and if you speak to anyone and ask which keeper do you want in your net, seven out of ten, at least, would say Alisson. Without a shadow of a doubt."

Kirkland was back at Liverpool as goalkeeping coach for the club’s women’s team when a big-money deal was put in place for Alisson.

He was immediately impressed by the new recruit and is not surprised by the success that has been enjoyed across two productive campaigns.

The ex-England international added: "Technically, he is so good, my word!

"He has a calmness and you see that on the pitch and that helps the defenders. Trust me, some of the saves he makes are not easy, he just makes it look easier. Only goalkeepers will understand.

"Some will say some shots are straight at him but try catching a ball when it is travelling 80 miles an hour and it is dipping all over the place, trust me, it is not easy."