Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes recently triggered an extension in the contract of Alisson Becker.
The 33-year-old goalkeeper will now remain on Merseyside until 2027 - with the move to activate the clause widely seen as a formality.
Alisson will therefore prolong his stay at Anfield by a further year - earning £150k per week as one of the club’s dressing room leaders.
The decision to activate Alisson’s clause could perhaps be explained by transfer interest from Juventus - who look set to make a bid for the Brazilian No1 to return to Italy.
Coach Luciano Spalletti was in charge of Alisson at Roma - before the South American embarked on his hugely successful adventure with Liverpool.
It all leaves Alisson on track to leave English football by 2027 - allowing Giorgi Mamardashvili the chance to finally stake his claim for the starting shirt.
But developments in recent days suggest that Liverpool might not yet be done with Alisson - and ANOTHER contract extension could be on the cards.
With Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson leaving this summer - and Virgil van Dijk on track to leave in 2027 - there is an acute danger of Liverpool’s leadership group of senior players being hollowed out.
And rather than lose all their dressing room leaders in such a short space of time Football Insider claimed that plans were afoot to extend Alisson’s deal by a further year to 2028.
No doubt that would frustrate Mamardashvili - who would be again left on the sidelines - but it would mean continuity and experience into the seasons ahead.
However the same outlet is now claiming that Alisson is effectively “on trial” for a new deal.
He is out of the team until the end of April at least owing to another muscle problem - an absence that has coincided with the Premier League champions crashing out of the FA Cup and Champions League.
Club bosses are reported to be concerned over the frequency of Alisson’s injury absences and will make a decision on a new contract with that in mind.
“The Merseysiders are expected to weigh up the veteran’s role within the squad on a game-by-game basis next term, before reaching a final decision as to whether he will be allowed to depart as a free agent in 2027,” the report reads.
“The Anfield outfit want to give the Brazilian every chance of proving his continued worth in the early stages of the next campaign, but there are growing concerns that his fitness issues may prevent him from doing so.”
Those concerns will put Alisson under the microscope and if he fails to prove fitness then it could be curtains for the club legend in 2027.
Alisson therefore has a job on his hands to convince his employers to hand him a new deal - if he’s got his mind on staying. He has also been linked with a return to boyhood club Internacional in Brazil once his current contract ends.
But when fit he remains one of the best around and Liverpool would like him to prove it on a more regular basis.
