Brughmans joins Liverpool in deal worth up to £30m
September 1, 2026 18:01
Liverpool have agreed terms to sign 18-year-old goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans from Belgian club Genk. Brughmans has put pen to paper on a six-year deal with Liverpool and will stay at Genk on loan for the current season, joining the Reds ahead of the 2027–28 campaign.
The fee structure includes an initial payment plus further add-ons; BBC Sport reports the total package could reach about £30m at the maximum of the agreed terms.
KEY CONTEXT
Brughmans, who stands 6ft 7in, has started Genk’s four games so far this season and has represented Belgium at youth level. Liverpool’s existing senior goalkeepers are Alisson, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman and Vitezslav Jaros. Alisson’s contract is due to expire next summer and the club’s reporting notes Mamardashvili’s future is currently unclear.
The move is a product of Liverpool’s global talent department, led by Matt Newberry. That recruitment pathway has recently brought in several teenage players, including Mor Talla N’diyaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe after the U17 World Cup in Qatar, as well as Armin Pecsi and Samuel Martinez over the past 12 months; Pecsi is spending this season on loan at TSV Hartberg.
WHY IT MATTERS
The signing gives Liverpool a highly rated, long-term goalkeeper prospect to join their ranks from 2027–28, addressing potential succession needs given Alisson’s contract situation and uncertainty around Mamardashvili. Securing Brughmans on a lengthy contract also reflects the club’s continued investment in young international talent identified by its global scouting structure.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- Confirmation of the precise fee breakdown and which add-ons must be met for the deal to reach the reported top figure.
- Brughmans’s performances while on loan at Genk this season and how he develops before moving to Liverpool.
- Decisions Liverpool make regarding goalkeeper roles and contracts over the next year, especially concerning Alisson and Mamardashvili.
KEY FACTS
- Lucca Brughmans is 18 and 6ft 7in; he has started Genk’s four matches this season and has played for Belgium at youth level.
- He has signed a six-year contract with Liverpool and will remain at Genk on loan this season.
- The transfer includes an initial fee plus additional payments; the total package could be around £30m at the top end.
- Liverpool’s current senior goalkeepers: Alisson, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman, Vitezslav Jaros.
- The move was facilitated by Liverpool’s global talent department under Matt Newberry.