The latest Liverpool transfer news lands at an awkward moment for Andoni Iraola. The Spaniard took charge this summer after Arne Slot’s sacking, under a new ownership consortium led by 1892 Holdings, and the early results have been mixed. Liverpool sit fifth in the Premier League, and a 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City showed how much tactical adjustment the squad still needs.

A 1-0 loss to Arsenal at Anfield followed, in which Liverpool failed to register a shot on target. The 3-2 defeat at Fenerbahçe in the Champions League on November 4 then increased the scrutiny, because Liverpool led twice in Istanbul and still conceded three. Questions about defensive solidity now sit alongside doubts over how the more experienced players execute Iraola’s plans.

Alisson Becker took much of the criticism. The 34-year-old’s rating dropped to 4.5 after those three goals, and with his contract heading into its final months, speculation about his future keeps growing.

Liverpool do have cover. Giorgi Mamardashvili remains involved in matchday squads, waiting for a first start, while Freddie Woodman and Vítězslav Jaroš handle cup rotation. The club also paid €35m (about £30m) this summer for 18-year-old Belgian Lucca Brughmans and extended Woodman’s contract until 2029.

Latest Liverpool transfer news on an Alisson successor

CaughtOffside, citing Football Insider, reports that Liverpool are closely monitoring Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen as a long-term replacement for Alisson before next summer’s window. The 24-year-old Netherlands international has kept 11 clean sheets in 14 appearances so far this season, and Brighton resisted significant summer approaches to keep him as their number one. Manchester United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid will offer stiff competition.

The profile suits Iraola’s high-pressing, vertical system, which relies on a sweeping goalkeeper who launches long balls or breaks lines to find forwards and wingers. Verbruggen brings outstanding footwork, resistance against aggressive presses, an exceptional sweeping radius and elite long-range distribution. Weaknesses include occasional lapses in physical command at packed set pieces and aerial errors against hyper-aggressive target men.

Should Liverpool pursue Verbruggen or promote Mamardashvili?

Liverpool do not need Verbruggen. He matches the technical template Iraola wants, but the club should pivot to Mamardashvili as Alisson’s direct successor.

Buying Verbruggen would create capital inefficiency. Liverpool already carry five goalkeepers, and a sixth, chased by four major clubs, would absorb resources in the most congested position while rebuild problems wait elsewhere. Replacing an ageing Virgil van Dijk is the most pressing, and the City and Fenerbahçe defeats show the back line needs attention.

Mamardashvili already sits inside the first-team framework, so promoting him avoids an adjustment period and preserves funds for backline vulnerabilities. Verbruggen’s aerial and set-piece frailties worry a side that conceded three in Istanbul. Every pound spent on a sixth goalkeeper is a pound missing from the search for Van Dijk’s successor.