Roma President Dismisses Alisson Exit Talk Amid Liverpool, Real Madrid Rumours

There is "no chance" of Roma goalkeeper Alisson leaving the team this summer, according to club president James Pallotta.

The Brazil international has been a key man in a memorable season for the capital club, and rumours about his future have persisted throughout the course of the campaign. But speaking with Sky Sport Italia (h/t Joe Wright of Goal), Pallotta said there's no way the Giallorossi will be letting their stopper go anywhere.

"We have no intention of selling him," Pallotta said. "No chance. When we signed him, I thought he was a great goalkeeper and I still think so, so we won't sell him."

As Wright noted, both Real Madrid and Liverpool, Roma's opponents in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, have been mentioned as potential suitors for Alisson. This season he's arguably been the best goalkeeper in the Italian top flight, as he has excelled under Eusebio Di Francesco's management. 

At the base of the side, he's provided security between the sticks with his remarkable shot stopping.

As we can see courtesy of WhoScored.com, the Selecao man has also proved he can perform at the highest level:

In addition to his sharp reflexes and agility, Alisson has also showcased his exceptional distribution this season.

The goalkeeper is always seeking to be aggressive and cut out opposition counter-attacks. When he finds himself on the ball outside the penalty area, he rarely loses composure and often finds a team-mate. Alisson's booming kicks downfield have been a key attacking weapon for the Serie A side this season, too.

Per Roma's official Twitter account (h/t Goal), the 25-year-old rarely panics when the ball is out of his hands:

Roma have been inconsistent throughout the course of the Serie A season and sit in third place in the table. Rivals Lazio only trail them on goal difference, while Inter Milan are in fifth and a point back.

With that in mind, Roma face a major fight to qualify for the Champions League again next season.

Freelance journalist John Solano believes finishing high up the table in Serie A should take priority over a chase for European glory:

"

Won’t be popular, but assuming Roma continue like this, Di Francesco should undoubtedly prioritise Serie A over the Champions League. Missing out on the Champions League revenue would be catastrophic for Roma, a nightmare.

— John Solano (@Solano_56) April 15, 2018"

If Roma are going to stop key players moving on—as the likes of Mohamed Salah and Miralem Pjanic have done in the past—then it's crucial they are regulars in the Champions League. Alisson, after all, has shown this season he's good enough to excel on such a big stage, and that's why some huge names are linked with him.

Should these giant clubs intensify that interest, it's difficult to see Roma holding firm amid potential big-money offers. Alisson would surely jump at the chance to join a club that boasts the prestige of the likes of Real Madrid and Liverpool.