Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign Genk goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans, but the move is contingent on the future of current back-up Giorgi Mamardashvili ahead of Tuesday's transfer deadline.
The 18-year-old has been identified by Liverpool's global talent team as a player of huge potential. Brughmans attracted interest from across Europe, but the Reds have won the race, striking a £30m agreement with Genk.
Brughmans set to stay in Belgium for now
As reported by The Liverpool Echo, Brughmans is currently set to remain in Belgium for the 2026/27 season. His immediate future depends on Mamardashvili, who is Liverpool's back-up goalkeeper behind Alisson and made 20 appearances last season while the Brazilian was injured.
The Georgian is now being targeted by Nottingham Forest ahead of the 11pm deadline on Tuesday. Forest manager Oliver Glasner wants a new goalkeeper and is considering Mamardashvili alongside Crystal Palace's Dean Henderson, according to reports.
Liverpool's stance on Mamardashvili
Liverpool want to keep Mamardashvili, who joined from Valencia for £29m last summer. However, they will bring in Brughmans in the next few days if they lose their current back-up to Forest. The keeper, who only recently turned 18, has made just 14 league appearances for Genk so far.
Brughmans had also been courted by Real Madrid, who were hopeful given the influence of fellow Belgian Thibaut Courtois. Yet Liverpool have convinced Brughmans his future lies on Merseyside, having also won the races for young defenders Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe this year.
Future route to first team
His decision could be linked to Alisson having entered the final year of his contract with Liverpool, meaning a potential route to the first team in the summer of 2027. The Reds also have Freddie Woodman as their third-choice goalkeeper.
Whether he joins this summer or not, Brughmans is the latest signing following Victor Munoz, Jeremy Jacquet and Ronald Araujo, while Bradley Barcola is also set to arrive on Monday.
Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola has been frustrated by the summer transfer window overlapping with the start of the Premier League season. "We've been patient all summer and now we just have to wait," he told BBC Match of the Day after the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday. "We just have to wait a couple more days and see how we finish and how the squad looks in the second half of September. Honestly, I am looking forward to having who we have and a definitive squad so we can start working with certainties."
