Liverpool Reportedly Drop Interest in Roma 'Keeper Alisson

Liverpool have reportedly told the representatives of AS Roma goalkeeper Alisson Becker they will not move for the £62 million rated player.

According to Goal's Melissa Reddy, the Reds were negotiating a deal for the Brazil international, but Roma's enormous asking price and the improved form of Loris Karius have changed their minds.

Karius has been in fine form of late, and manager Jurgen Klopp has decided to give the German his full support rather than smash the transfer record fee for a goalkeeper. The current British record is £34.7 million, which Manchester City paid for Ederson.

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Reddy also reported Liverpool are still expected to sign a new goalkeeper, but only to provide competition for Karius, with Simon Mignolet likely to leave the club.

Karius has kept a clean sheet in four of his last five starts, and the 24-year-old has impressed in the process. Klopp previously rotated him with Mignolet, and the former Mainz man was never able to build rhythm. Now that he has, it's clear he's the answer between the sticks, per football writer Jack Lusby:

Alisson is in the midst of a sensational season in the Italian capital, but he only became a starter this season following the departure of Wojciech Szczesny. While the Brazilian has always been highly touted, £62 million is a lot for a relatively inexperienced stopper who was used as an understudy a year ago.

His talent certainly isn't in doubt, and he's won Roma plenty of points this season already. His showing against Inter Milan, where he made several key stops and provided an assist, was one of his best performances of the season:

Karius still has tons of upside, however, and has already proven a capable goalkeeper. At the very least, his good form has earned him an extended run in the team and a chance to prove he can be the full-time starter for the Reds in the long run.

If Mignolet leaves the club during the summer, Liverpool would likely invest a fraction of the cost of Alisson into an experienced stopper who can be Karius' backup and push the German while Danny Ward continues to develop.

It makes little sense spending so much money on another high-upside goalkeeper with limited experience who will only make Karius uncomfortable again. The Reds have other needs, and every penny they don't use on a 'keeper can be spent elsewhere.