Liverpool sign 17-year-old Brazilian goalkeeping wonderkid Marcelo Pitaluga

When your brother picks your successor! Liverpool unveil £1.8m Brazilian goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga as the 17-year-old joins from Fluminense… after Alisson’s keeper brother told Reds he was set for the top

  • Liverpool snapped up Brazil U17 goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga from Fluminense 
  • Alisson Becker’s brother Muriel played with hotly-tipped starlet at Brazilian side
  • Reds used Alisson’s connections to lure 17-year-old Pitaluga to their academy

Liverpool have snapped up Brazil’s Under 17 goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga from Fluminense – with help from their No 1.

Alisson Becker’s brother Muriel – a fellow keeper – played with the hotly-tipped youngster at the Brazilian side last season, and paved the way for his £1.8million move to Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp’s men have been tracking him since he was part of the Brazil side that won the U17 World Cup as hosts in November last year.

Marcelo Pitaluga stands proudly at Melwood after signing for Liverpool from Fluminense

Marcelo Pitaluga stands proudly at Melwood after signing for Liverpool from Fluminense

Alisson Becker's (R) brother Muriel (L) played with the hotly-tipped youngster at Brazilian side

Alisson Becker’s (R) brother Muriel (L) played with the hotly-tipped youngster at Brazilian side

Now they have used Alisson’s connections to lure 17-year-old Pitaluga to their academy.

Liverpool’s head of goalkeeping John Achterberg told the club’s official website: ‘I asked Ali to speak to his brother to see how it goes and how he is doing. 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.’

Reds have been tracking him since he was part of the Brazil side that won the U17 World Cup

Reds have been tracking him since he was part of the Brazil side that won the U17 World Cup

Pitaluga was named on the bench for the last two Fluminese matches of the Brazilian Serie A last season, but caught the eye the year before at the U17 World Cup.

‘I saw him for the first time in the World Cup squad. You’re checking all the goalies and looking at the ages,’ said Achterberg.

‘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.

‘He was at Fluminense; we got some games to look at, all the other goalie coaches also look at it – Jack [Robinson] and the Academy coaches Mark [Morris] and Taff [Neil Edwards]. And, of course, I speak to the gaffer and the rest of the coaching department here.’

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has snapped up Pitaluga for a £1.8million fee

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has snapped up Pitaluga for a £1.8million fee

source: dailymail.co.uk