Liverpool bolster goalkeeping ranks with £30m move for Genk's Brughmans
Liverpool have agreed a deal worth up to £30m for 18-year-old goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans from Belgian club Genk. The 6ft 7in keeper will remain at Genk on loan for the current season before moving to Anfield ahead of the 2027-28 campaign. He has played every league match for Genk so far this term.
The transfer structure sees Genk receive an initial payment with additional performance-related bonuses that could push the total toward £30m. Brughmans' six-year contract signals Liverpool's long-term investment in the position, with the teenager expected to compete for first-team duties once he arrives in 2027. His loan continuation at Genk ensures regular competitive football during his development season.
Liverpool's recruitment strategy under their global talent department has increasingly targeted young prospects across multiple positions. Recent additions include teenage centre-backs from Senegal and Austria, plus a Hungarian goalkeeper currently on loan in Germany. The club's current goalkeeping hierarchy faces transition, with Alisson's contract expiring next summer and uncertainty surrounding Mamardashvili's long-term future at Anfield.
This signing could signal a broader shift in how top Premier League clubs approach goalkeeping succession planning, investing heavily in teenage prospects rather than established veterans. Liverpool supporters may see this as reassurance about the club's future stability between the posts, though the £30m fee carries expectations that could weigh on a young player. Other clubs may reassess their own youth recruitment strategies in response to this aggressive early investment.