Liverpool completed the signing of Lucca Brughmans from Belgian side Genk in a deal worth up to £30m including add-ons on Tuesday.
Brughmans has signed a six-year contract with Liverpool and will remain at Genk on loan this season before moving to Anfield ahead of the 2027-28 campaign.
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The 18-year-old goalkeeper has started all four of Genk’s games this season and represented his country at youth level.
Liverpool currently have Alisson, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman and Vitezslav Jaros as goalkeeping options, but with Alisson’s contract expiring next summer and Mamardashvili’s future uncertain, Brughmans could become an option from 2027 onwards.
The deal was driven by Liverpool’s global talent department, led by Matt Newberry. Genk head coach Jess Thorup has now opened up about Brughmans’ mega-transfer to Anfield.
“Naturally, I spoke to Lucca about his transfer,” said Thorup. “We talked about what the experience was like going to Liverpool , also with his family and so on. Every player dreams of this, and suddenly – without really realizing it yourself – you are right in the middle of it.
“You have to let something like that sink in for a moment. On the other hand, it is the right choice for everyone that he stays for another year.
“He can continue to develop here, and we have a good goalkeeper at our disposal. Although he is only 18, I can tell that he remains calm and focused.
“He has already been back on the training pitch for a few days. The realization that his life has changed will probably sink in sometime in the coming weeks.
“Naturally, a lot is going to come his way. The spotlight is on him because of the amount involved . I will protect him at the right moments, because we must not forget that the status of first-choice goalkeeper at Genk is still quite new to him as well.”
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