Liverpool have concluded their first piece of January transfer business with the sale of young goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga to Fluminense.
The 22-year-old Brazilian has returned to his former club on a permanent deal after more than four years on Merseyside in which he did not make a single senior competitive appearance in any competition.
Reports claims that there is no transfer fee involved in the agreement for Pitaluga to return to Fluminense, where he started his career following an initial stint with Vasco da Gama. However, Liverpool are said to have inserted a hefty 40 per cent sell-on clause into the deal.
Pitaluga arrived at Liverpool back in 2020 having been part of the Brazil squad that won the Under-17 World Cup on home soil the same month, with first-choice goalkeeper Alisson’s brother Muriel having been his club team-mate at the time.
He made a number of outings for the club at youth level and was included in the senior matchday squad seven times, though never made a senior appearance under former manager Jurgen Klopp or successor Arne Slot.
Pitaluga instead spent time out on loan in the EFL with Macclesfield and in Ireland with St Patrick’s Athletic, while he did not impress during a recent disappointing spell in the Scottish second tier with Livingston.
Liverpool are not short on goalkeeping options at present, with Alisson now back from a hamstring injury that kept him sidelined for two months and ably supported by highly-rated deputy Caoimhin Kelleher.
Czech Republic international Vitezslav Jaros has served as the club’s No3 option between the posts since Spanish veteran Adrian returned to his homeland with Real Betis last summer.
England Under-20 international Harvey Davies is among the other goalkeepers currently on Liverpool’s books, along with a host of other academy stoppers including Kornel Misciur and Fabian Mrozek.v vAlongside Pitaluga, the only other transfer activity at Anfield during the early stages of the current January window is the premature return of Scottish full-back Calvin Ramsay from his loan spell with League One side Wigan.