Racing Genk manager Jess Thorup has admitted that they may look to take Lucca Brughmans out of the spotlight following his move to Liverpool.
The young goalkeeper officially joined Liverpool this week in a €35m deal. He is, potentially, the long-term replacement for Alisson at Anfield.
Loan at Genk
For now, he’ll be spending the season with Genk to continue his development away from the limelight on Merseyside. But Thorup admits he may go one step further this season.
“Naturally, I’ve spoken to Lucca about his transfer,” he told Het Laatste Nieuws.
“We talked about the experience of going to Liverpool, and the involvement of his family and so on. Every player dreams of this, and suddenly – before you fully realise it – you’re right in the middle of it. You need a moment to let something like that sink in.”
“Of course, there’s a lot coming his way. He’s in the spotlight because of the fee involved. I’ll protect him at the right moments, because we mustn’t forget that the role of Genk’s first-choice goalkeeper is still quite new to him.”
“Steven Frederix (the goalkeeping coach) and I will assess match by match whether we need to give him a rest.”
Liverpool impact
For now, it appears that the youngster has not quite realised the grand scale of what has happened. But Thorup believes that may hit him in the coming weeks and months.
“Even though he’s only 18, I can see that he remains calm and focused,” he added.
“He’s already been back on the training pitch for a few days. The realisation that his life has changed will probably sink in sometime over the coming weeks.”
Thorup is also looking at the positives for Genk. He believes this move to Liverpool has only further proven that they’re a smart destination for young players.
“The signings of Lucca and Kos Karetsas (Dortmund) were particularly spectacular,” he concluded.
“The club deserves a pat on the back for that. It also sends a signal: at this club, young players can make strides and eventually reach the European elite.”
