Richard Hughes leaves Liverpool coach Arne Slot with £150k per week contract problem

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes recently made the decision to trigger a one-year extension in Alisson Becker’s contract.

It was a formality, really, with Liverpool holding all the cards in order to tie the goalkeeper down until 2027.

The Brazil No1 has been at Anfield since 2018 - winning everything there is to win in club football - and emerging as one of the very best goalkeepers in the world.

Given his quality and experience it’s understandable why the club made the call to extend his contract worth a reported £150k per week.

The only problem is that Alisson spends FAR too much time injured.

Alisson injured yet again

He broke down with a muscle injury in a Champions League game against Galatasaray in autumn - opening the door to a seven-week spell on the sidelines.

Giorgi Mamardashvili filled in for the 33-year-old - but it’s unfortunate for the Georgian that he played during an extremely poor spell for Arne Slot’s side.

Alisson is now once again on the sidelines - having endured a mixed picture in March over injuries. He was in the team for the FA Cup match against Wolves before missing the Champions League round-of-16 first-leg defeat to Galatasaray.

Then he was back for the visit of Tottenham to Anfield - and the home leg against Gala - before sitting out the final game before the international window against Brighton.

Alisson did not go on international duty with Brazil - requiring a stay at the AXA Training Centre to working on his fitness. But even with two weeks off - the goalkeeper won’t be fit enough to keep guard against Manchester City at the weekend.

Was Alisson renewal an error?

Mamardashvili will again be handed the gloves and a worrying picture is now building up over Alisson’s fitness.

In 2023/24 and 2024/25 he missed multiple matches - TEN in the league alone in each campaign - which gave Caoimhin Kelleher the chance to star between the sticks.

Right now he is stuck on 25 appearances in the top flight after 31 matches - meaning he will again be hovering around the same mark this term even if his return goes to plan.

Mamardashvili was signed with a view to becoming the club’s No1 going forward since Kelleher was sold. But Slot hasn’t given him a chance to take over - only using him in a bind.

The problem is that the Premier League champions are committing a huge salary on an ageing goalkeeper who will miss a quarter of the matches he’s needed for.

There is no doubting his quality; on his day he remains one of the best even if he needs help with the longer goal-kicks these days.

It has been suggested that Hughes tied down Alisson with a view to selling him back to Serie A this summer - thereby guaranteeing a transfer return on what was a world-record deal.

In all honesty he will probably stay through to 2027 - but if that happens and he misses several matches once again then the wisdom of this deal must be questioned.

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