Middlesbrough goalkeeping coach Jonathan Gould says that he spotted Liverpool summer signing Alisson when he was working for West Bromwich Albion.
Gould has revealed how he spotted Alisson when the Brazil international goalkeeper was at AS Roma and was playing against Villarreal in a Europa League tie against Villarreal in Spain in February 2017.
The former Scotland international goalkeeper was then working as a scout for West Bromwich Albion, who was being managed by Pulis – now at Middlesbrough – at the time.
Gould has revealed that he was at the match scouting DR Congo international forward Cedric Bakambu for West Brom when he spotted Alisson.
“I was in Villarreal for Tony Pulis, who was Albion boss at the time,” Gould told The Scottish Sun. “It was hard to take my eyes off Roma’s young goalie, who had been brought in as a surprise replacement for Wojciech Szczesny.
“Tony had sent me to do a scouting report on Villarreal’s French striker Cedric Bakambu, who was playing against Roma in the Europa League. But I came back raving about Alisson — the guy who kept defying him!
“Alisson hadn’t played many games for Roma and I didn’t know who he was. He had just signed from Brazilian club Internacional and was seen as the understudy to Szczesny. Yet his performance that night convinced me he was destined for the very top.”
Liverpool move
Alisson joined Liverpool from Roma in the summer transfer window for a transfer fee reported by Sky Sports to be worth £67 million.
The 25-year-old Brazil international goalkeeper has been superb for the Reds so far this season, with the Merseyside outfit aiming to win the Premier League title and also make a massive impact in the Champions League.
