Liverpool have some big decisions to make in the coming months, as they ponder whether to extend the contracts of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker.

The defensive duo have cemented legendary status at Anfield since joining in 2018, becoming cornerstones of the Jurgen Klopp era and beyond.

Both Van Dijk and Alisson are out of contract next summer, however, and as both tick into their mid-30s, there are question marks over the wisdom of extending them further. Plenty may depend on the wishes of the players themselves, and though Van Dijk has kept his cards close to his chest on that topic so far, Alisson has openly declared that he wants to stay with Liverpool.

While that is terrific news for those hoping for the goalkeeper to continue building his legend, it does not mean that an agreement is a formality. In fact, after Alisson‘s form was called into question recently, it may ultimately make more sense for Liverpool to finally part ways with the Brazilian and look to the future instead.

Liverpool must think carefully before extending Alisson’s stay

There had been something of a resignation building towards the fact that Alisson would be departing at the end of the season, with reports claiming that Liverpool are happy to put faith in Giorgi Mamardashvili as his successor.

As a result, Alisson’s comments that he would actually like to stay at Anfield, thank you very much, and furthermore is in talks to make that happen, came as a big surprise. If he can keep putting in performances such as the one he delivered against Crystal Palace on Sunday, then nobody can really argue that he should be keeping goal for Liverpool years into the future.

The problem is that Alisson has not been turning in these kinds of displays on a regular basis over recent seasons. Sadly, there have been a few too many like the one which contributed to Liverpool losing against Fenerbahce last midweek.

Increasingly injury prone and with developing concerns over his distribution, the Alisson of today is not the Alisson who signed a reported £250k-per-week extension with Liverpool in 2022.

Since then, the 34-year-old has missed a whopping 33 Premier League games through injury and has visibly declined in important areas of his game. Though he is a hugely important figure at the club and it will be incredibly sad to watch him go, Liverpool have to take these things into account before giving Alisson what he’s looking for.

Andoni Iraola has already publicly thrown his backing towards keeping the Brazil international, but Julian Ward will ultimately be the man with the final say here, and it is far from being as cut and dry as it once appeared to be.

Liverpool have to consider Lucca Brughmans

When Liverpool spent a reported £30m to sign Belgian youngster Lucca Brughmans on transfer deadline day in September, they clearly did so with one eye on him becoming their starting goalkeeper in the future.

Brughmans will only just have turned 19 when he reports for pre-season training next July, but, one way or another, he looks primed to be Liverpool’s No. 2 from 2027/28 onwards.

Whether that is behind Alisson, Mamardashvili or another, new goalkeeper will be answered between now and then.

Brughmans plays an important role in deciding what to do with Alisson, as, whether they extend him or not, Liverpool have a timeline and a vision for what life after their veteran No. 1 looks like. The Genk starlet should take on duties at some point, but if Mamardashvili steps up, that could end up being a long time off.

The Georgian is still only 26, and if he can prove himself at Liverpool he could end up staying for the best part of a decade. That would surely mean that Brughmans has to look elsewhere to be a starting keeper.

Alternatively, even if he does sign another contract, Alisson is probably looking at his last two or three seasons with Liverpool. That could be exactly the right time for Brughmans to take over, and if Alisson stays, who better for him to learn from?

Seen through this prism, extending Alisson feels like a good decision, but Brughmans is obviously a very ambitious young goalkeeper, and having one of the best shot-stoppers in Premier League history in front of him, even for a year or two, could make him frustrated at the lack of action.

With Mamardashvili as a No. 1 who is yet to prove himself, the chance may be there for Brughmans to jump in if any doubt does arrive over the course of next season.

These are all questions that Ward will have to weigh up and find an answer for over the next six months, and though Alisson feels much closer to staying now that he has firmly nailed his intentions to the door, Liverpool may still have to turn their back on him when push comes to shove.