Liverpool have agreed a £30m deal with Genk for goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans, who is set to stay in Belgium for the season ahead.
Reports in Belgium say Brughmans is currently undergoing a medical ahead of becoming the club's fifth signing of the summer after Jeremy Jacquet, Victor Munoz, the on-loan Ronald Araujo and Bradley Barcola, who is expected to be confirmed as a Liverpool player on Monday.
Brughmans to stay at Genk for now
As things stand, however, the teenager will stay put for the campaign, with an unusual agreement linked to the future of Reds' deputy Giorgi Mamardashvili who has interest from Nottingham Forest.
Any move for Mamardashvili will see Liverpool expedite their plans to bring Brughmans to Anfield for the 2026/27 term.
Liverpool identified the 18-year-old as a future star and appear to have won the race to land the highly-coveted shot-stopper, despite interest from Real Madrid and several other clubs across Europe.
Agreement keeps Brughmans in Belgium until 2027
The agreement with Genk, according to Belgian sources, will see Brughmans stay in his homeland until 2027. It is believed he will then move to Merseyside next summer to compete for a spot in the Reds' first team.
It's understood Liverpool's Global Talent department, headed up by Matt Newberry, identified Brughmans as a target before plans to recruit were stepped up in recent days.
There had initially been some internal skepticism over their chances given the interest of Real Madrid and the influence of Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Mamardashvili interest could accelerate move
Brughmans, who has made 14 Jupiler Pro League appearances for Genk, has previously named Courtois as his idol and wore the No.28 shirt in honour of his compatriot when breaking into the senior side at Genk earlier this year.
However, Nottingham Forest's interest in Mamardashvili could change the landscape regarding Brughmans' future. If the Georgia international moves to Forest, Liverpool will look to bring Brughmans to Anfield before Tuesday's 11pm transfer deadline to provide competition for Alisson Becker, who is inside the final year of his deal with the club.
The Reds also have Freddie Woodman on the books as third-choice goalkeeper after he signed a new contract during the club's pre-season tour of the United States, while Vitezslav Jaros is recovering from an ACL injury picked up during his loan spell with Ajax last season.
Mamardashvili made 20 appearances in total last term under Arne Slot, largely deputising when Alisson was sidelined for a couple of months with a muscle injury.
Brughmans is the latest youngster to have been identified by Liverpool's Global Talent department after deals for defenders Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe were struck in January. Both centre-backs were scouted at the Under-17s World Cup in Qatar last November and were part of the pre-season tour under Andoni Iraola in the United States. The Reds will also see Colombian playmaker Samuel Martinez join from Atletico Nacional next year.
