Marcelo Pitaluga signs for Liverpool FC: Who is the new Reds goalkeeper?

There is lots of attention on Liverpool’s first-team goalkeeper situation at the moment, but the Reds are looking to the future after snapping up 17-year-old stopper Marcelo Pitaluga.

With Alisson Becker out injured, reserve goalkeeper Adrian filled in in unconvincing fashion during Sunday’s shock 7-2 thumping at the hands of Aston Villa.

Despite that result, Jurgen Klopp opted against making a deadline day move for a new ‘keeper, but on Thursday the club announced the arrival of Pitaluga from Brazilian side Fluminense.

Standard Sport understands that Liverpool paid an initial fee of £700,000 in a deal which could rise to as much as £1.8million, and is inclusive of a 20 per cent sell-on clause was struck over the summer.

So who is he?

Well, Pitaluga was part of the Brazil Under-17 side that won last year’s World Cup, where Liverpool’s goalkeeping coach John Achterberg first spotted him.

“I saw him for the first time in the World Cup squad,” Achterberg told Liverpool’s club website. “You’re checking all the goalies and looking at the ages.

“You see that he was in the World Cup squad one year younger than the rest of the squad, then you think that’s worth a look because normally you have two goalkeepers of the same age, but if you have someone who is a year younger you think he may have some good attributes.”

Back at his club side, Liverpool had a man poised to find out more; Alisson’s brother Muriel, who is also a goalkeeper.

“I asked Ali to speak to his brother to see how it goes and how he is doing,” Achterberg added. “Ali spoke to his brother and Ali went training there.

"We saw a little bit from the training and the games he was playing for the reserves in Brazil.

“He was already 16 playing in the reserve team there so you also think, they trust him to play already in the reserves at 16.”

Liverpool say the youngster will go straight into their first team training group, but will likely get his match experience with the age-group sides for now.