Why Chelsea should sign AS Roma ace Alisson Becker to replace Thibaut Courtois this summer

Why Chelsea should sign AS Roma ace Alisson Becker to replace Thibaut Courtois this summer

According to reports, Chelsea have entered the race to sign Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker and are the ones who could come closer to AS Roma’s €70m valuation for their star.

Real Madrid are interested in Alisson too and have put forward a €40m bid for the custodian which Roma have rejected as they value the player much higher.

Liverpool have also been reportedly keeping tabs on the Brazilian shot-stopper for some time now but have apparently backed off due to Roma’s staggering asking price.

So, Real Madrid and Liverpool’s reluctance to meet AS Roma’s demands have cleared the path for Chelsea to sign Alisson this summer.

Chelsea look to bounce back from a miserable campaign under Antonio Conte which saw them finish outside the top-four. Maurizio Sarri is reportedly set to replace Conte as Chelsea’s new manager, and the former Napoli boss has demanded a number of new signings.

Amongst Sarri’s targets is a new goalkeeper as Thibaut Courtois is yet to sign a contract extension with the Blues.

Courtois has been Chelsea’s first-choice in goal since 2014 but his present contract expires in 2019 and it would, therefore, make sense for the club to try and cash in on their star goalkeeper this summer. The Belgian has been a long-term target for Real Madrid and his reluctance to put ink on the dotted lines mean the Londoners should move on from the contract rebel.

The best Chelsea could do at this moment is replace Courtois with Alisson. Like Courtois, Alisson has been regarded as one of the finest goalkeepers in Europe. Alisson is currently Brazil’s first-choice custodian and has managed two clean-sheets in three World Cup group-stage games.

Alisson kept 17 clean sheets for Roma in Serie A last season and was one of the chief reasons behind the club’s success in the Champions League as they reached the semi-finals of the continental competition.

The Brazilian is strong, commanding and blessed with lightning-fast reflexes. He is often unbeatable in one-on-one situations and is very quick in coming off the line. Excellent with the ball at his feet, Alisson can start an attack from the back.

The Roma ace is very agile and boasts a commanding presence inside the box. His catching and distribution skills are very good too; meaning should the deal get over the line, Chelsea will land a goalkeeper of top pedigree.

At 25, Alisson is still relatively young for a goalkeeper but he has already gained massive experience playing for the Rome-based club. It is high time he moves for pastures new this summer and Stamford Bridge could be the ideal place for his growth, especially with Sarri set to be appointed their new manager sooner rather than later.

So, the Blues must try their level best to sell Courtois, who is valued around €50m. His sale would provide Chelsea with substantial funds needed to sign Alisson. Also, signing the Brazilian international will make the Blues rub salt on Liverpool’s wounds ahead of the next season.