Liverpool's €35m Brughmans deal is done—but where he plays isn't set
Liverpool have effectively completed a €35m move for Genk goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans, but the 18-year-old may not arrive at Anfield this season. Fabrizio Romano reports the fee is €33m plus €2m in add-ons, with a loan back to Genk planned unless backup Giorgi Mamardashvili is sold before the transfer deadline. The Belgian shot-stopper has been dubbed "the new Courtois" in his homeland, and his immediate future now hinges on a potential Premier League shuffle involving Liverpool's current No. 2.
Key Takeaways
- Liverpool's deal for 18-year-old Lucca Brughmans from Genk is effectively done at €33m plus €2m in add-ons.
- The plan is to loan Brughmans back to Genk for another season unless Giorgi Mamardashvili leaves Anfield.
- Nottingham Forest and other Premier League clubs have been linked with Mamardashvili, which could trigger an immediate Brughmans arrival.
- Brughmans has earned comparisons to Thibaut Courtois and made nine senior Genk appearances last season.
- Alisson Becker's contract runs until June 2027, adding long-term context to Liverpool's goalkeeper planning.
Who is Liverpool signing for €35m?
Lucca Brughmans is an 18-year-old Belgian goalkeeper who has been starting regularly for Genk. Belgian transfer expert Sacha Tavolieri values him at roughly €35m, and in Belgium he is rated among the brightest rising talents between the posts.
Standing around two metres tall, Brughmans bounced between youth setups in the Netherlands and Belgium before breaking through with Jong Genk. He made nine appearances for Genk's senior side in the Pro League last season.
Domestically, he has even been dubbed "the new Courtois" — a reference to compatriot Thibaut Courtois, who began his career at Genk before becoming one of Europe's elite keepers at Real Madrid.
Why isn't Brughmans' destination certain this season?
According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool have reached a verbal agreement with Genk and authorization for a medical is in place, with formal steps still to follow. The immediate plan, however, is not a straight move to Merseyside.
Romano reports that Brughmans is expected to remain on loan at Genk, where he can continue developing as a regular starter. That changes only if Liverpool sell Mamardashvili before the transfer window closes.
The Georgian keeper joined from Valencia in a deal worth around £29m that was agreed in 2024 and completed last summer. He made 20 appearances last season under Arne Slot, mainly backing up Alisson when the Brazilian was sidelined with a muscle injury.
Nottingham Forest have enquired about Mamardashvili's availability, and LiveScore notes links to other Premier League sides. If a club makes a compelling bid and Liverpool agree to sell, Brughmans would come straight to Anfield to serve as Alisson's backup for 2026-27.
What does this mean for Liverpool's goalkeeper future?
Liverpool's interest in Brughmans forms part of a wider reshuffle at the position. Alisson Becker, signed from Roma for €72m in 2018, remains one of the finest keepers in club history, but his contract expires in June 2027.
The club previously invested around €30m in Mamardashvili as a long-term successor option. Bringing in Brughmans adds another highly rated young keeper to the pipeline — though exactly when he lands on Merseyside depends on Mamardashvili's fate in the final hours of the window.
For more on late-window drama across football and entertainment, see our Celebrity Breaking News hub. Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano's updates, reported via LiveScore, remain the clearest guide to whether Brughmans stays in Belgium or heads to Anfield immediately.