How Lucca Brughmans performed for Genk in first appearance since Liverpool signed him for £30m
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Liverpool fans may have been let down by Richard Hughes and their recruitment team on transfer deadline day last week, but they did at least make one big signing for the future.More than a few eyebrows were raised at the Reds’ decision to spend almost £30m on the signing of 18-year-old goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans from Genk, with Liverpool ignoring more urgent areas of need to look towards the future.Wider frustrations have nothing to do with Brughmans, though, and the goalkeeper looks like a genuinely exceptional talent. How should Andoni Iraola now manage Liverpool’s right-back situation moving forward?
Ronald Araujo was SUPERB against Ipswich Photo Credit: Getty Images/Liverpool FC Sunday was his first chance to prove that to Liverpool fans, who will have been closely watching as Genk faced Anderlecht in the Belgian Pro League. Brughmans shows why Liverpool signed himRegardless of him being 18, £30m is a lot of money to spend on any goalkeeper, so Liverpool really must rate Brughmans as a potential future starter.
He is already the main man at Genk, and he showed why on Sunday, keeping Anderlecht out to record a good point away from home for his team.His best save came in the first-half, when Brughmans flung himself down to his left to keep out a bouncing header which looked destined for the net.READ MORE: Reminder: The conditions Liverpool can meet to permanently sign Ronald Araujo from BarcelonaPhoto by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty ImagesThe youngster then made arguably an even better – but less spectacular – stop later on, when he spread himself at the feet of the Anderlecht attacker to make a block with his right leg.It was great positioning from Brughmans who managed to divert the shot over the bar and away for a corner.They were not the best chances in the world, with the teenager preventing 0.52 xG for his team, but they were saves that were difficult to make nonetheless, and really showed off his athleticism, positioning and reactions.Elsewhere in the game Brughmans was tidy with his passing, although it looks on this evidence that Genk prefer their goalkeeper to kick long, something which might need ironing out at Liverpool.With his new supporters watching on, though, this was a really good first impression from the Reds’ newest goalie. Join Our NewsletterReceive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox