Liverpool could be on the verge of sealing a deal for Brazilian goalkeeping prodigy Marcelo Pitaluga, who plays for Fluminense.
According to Liverpool Echo, Liverpool have tabled an offer to Fluminense in an attempt to sign Marcelo Pitaluga. The young goalkeeper is regarded as one of the best talents in his position and has shown a lot of potential in the youth competitions. He is also courted by several top clubs across Europe.
However, the report claims Liverpool’s offer is going to be accepted by Fluminense. Pitaluga himself is desperate to join the Merseyside giants, where he can team up with his compatriot and Brazil’s number one goalkeeper, Alisson Becker.
Despite being only 17, Pitaluga is already making an impact in his native Brazil, notably training with the first-team this summer. So much so, even Liverpool have now offered him and his family a house in England and the fact that he holds a German passport could significantly ease the paperwork.
As far as Liverpool are concerned, the potential addition of Pitaluga comes at the right time for the club. Although the Reds don’t necessarily have any immediate concerns in the goalkeeping department, they must look to invest more in the youth development if they are to keep with the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Leeds United.
Pitaluga isn’t the only young goalkeeper Liverpool are looking at, however. The newly-crowned Premier League champions allowed 19-year-old Spaniard Javi Cendon to train with the club in their pre-season preparations in Austria. He was trained by and with the likes of Alisson and Adrian.
However, Jurgen Klopp’s side is yet to offer Cendon a contract at Anfield, which may suggest that they do prefer Pitaluga instead. After all, the 17-year-old is one of the most promising goalkeeping talents in South America.
The Brazilian, with his skinny figure, bears resemblance to Real Madrid number one Thibaut Courtois in terms of style. He also has a tall 1.91m figure, which is quite impressive for a player of his age. Not to mention, the youngster has a remarkable positioning sense and composure well beyond his years.
With the right guidance, Pitaluga could thrive at Anfield, although he must first compete with the club’s reserve team goalkeepers if he is to have any hopes of entering the first-team plans for Klopp in the near future.
