Add to Preferred Sources

Amid the excitement of Bradley Barcola’s €125m move to Liverpool this summer, another late transfer window arrival almost slipped under the radar.

While the Reds were securing their new star forward, they were also spending big in Belgium on a new goalkeeper.

His name is Lucca Brughmans, and he’s expected to replace Alisson in the long-term. That’s despite the money spent on Giorgi Mamardashvili last year.

Liverpool have paid €35m for the 18-year-old, who will be spending the year at Brugge on loan before heading to Anfield full time.

It was a deal few saw coming, despite the growing hype around the youngster. Even director of football Dimitri de Conde was left a little surprised.

“My first reaction was: ‘Oh boy, what now?’,” he said when asked by Het Laatste Nieuws if he pinched himself at the offer.

“After all, a team had to take the field just a few days later. But then, seeing how Lucca performed at Anderlecht… And I’m not just talking about those two fantastic saves, but also his presence and his post-match interviews.”

Not taking credit for Liverpool’s €35m

De Conde was aware that the youngster was on the radar of top clubs and had even visited Real Madrid. But he didn’t see Liverpool’s sudden, big bid coming.

“I knew he was on the radar of top clubs,” he added.

“That he’d even visited Real Madrid. And that he was one of the lads we hoped to get a handsome fee for at some point, to ensure the club’s survival. But for it to happen *that* quickly. And for *that* amount… I never saw that coming.”

Some in Belgium have patted him on the back for the deal he agreed with Liverpool. But actually, De Conde says he had very little to do on that front. In fact, he seems to suggest that Liverpool just came in and offered the €35m, more than he’d expected from anyone, off the bat.

“That’s exactly the point. People saying ‘It’s fantastic what De Conde achieved with his experience regarding Lucca’s transfer!’? Sorry, but that’s not the case.

“In the end, I got a call from his agency at 11am on a Sunday, two days before the English transfer window closed,” he concluded.

“‘Liverpool is serious. ‘This is the offer.’ And the very next morning, Lucca was on a plane to Liverpool.” I do take credit for the fact that we, as a club, chose that path.

“I don’t pick the starting lineup – let’s be clear about that – but at a certain point, we gave Lucca his chance. It might have only been in the Play-Off 2 stage, but we did it nonetheless.”

Reading between the lines, Liverpool could almost certainly have got a cheaper deal for Lucca Brughmans. That clearly wasn’t a major concern at the end of the window.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR