Liverpool are keen to make a move for on-loan Udinese goalkeeper Alex Meret in the summer transfer window, as per reports.
The Daily Mirror have reported that Liverpool are stepping up their interest in Udinese goalkeeping sensation Alex Meret. The Reds are now lining up a move for the 19-year-old, who is currently on loan at Serie B side SPAL.
Gianluigi Donnarumma may be the next big thing in Italian and European football, but there’s another teenage goalkeeping prodigy who is rated as one of the most exciting prospects in the country. That shot stopper is 19-year-old Udinese goalkeeper Alex Meret.
Meret is taking a rather non-glamorous way up to prominence as compared to the more illustrious Donnarumma, as he is currently out on loan with Serie A promotion hopefuls SPAL. However, he has made such a pronounced impression with the second division side that he has been dubbed as ‘the new Dino Zoff’ in Italy.
Meret has played 19 matches for SPAL in all competitions this season, having well and truly established himself as the club’s first choice goalkeeper, and in those games, he has conceded just 21 goals, keeping eight clean sheets in the process.
Developing at a highly impressive rate, Meret has shown lightning quick reflexes, ever-improving shot stopping abilities and decent positioning sense. With Meret showing signs of promise this season, several clubs have had him scouted all through the season.
However, Liverpool have showed the most concrete of interests, with the Reds boss Jurgen Klopp eager to sign a new goalkeeper in the summer. Klopp has used both Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet over the course of the campaign, with neither proving to be a consistent presence between the sticks.
The duo have managed just five clean sheets in 27 Premier League appearances between themselves, conceding 34 goals in the process. These are alarming numbers for a side that has Top 4 aspirations this season.
With neither Mignolet nor Karius managing to convince their Liverpool manager so far, it goes without saying that goalkeeper is one position that has to be top priority for the Merseyside club in the summer.
Surely enough, Liverpool have been scouting several goalkeepers as well, with the likes of Joe Hart, Jordan Pickford, Stephane Ruffier and Kasper Schmeichel all linked with a summer move to Anfield in recent months.
And Meret’s name is the latest, and arguably, the most exciting name to crop up. However, Liverpool could face a battle on their hands in order to secure the services of the teenager, with Udinese keen to make their first-choice next season. It now remains to be seen if Liverpool can bring Meret to Anfield next season or if he joins up with Udinese instead.
