The Athletic‘s James Pearce has recently stated that Liverpool are on the brink of signing Marcelo Pitaluga from Fluminense for an initial fee of around £700,000 during this summer transfer period. The promising keeper is expected to undergo his medical at Melwood this week and could become Jurgen Klopp’s second signing of the summer (via The Athletic).
Pitaluga’s Rapid Rise In Brazilian Football
The 17-year-old has made a name for himself while playing in the youth ranks of Fluminense but is yet to earn a first-team appearance for the Brazilian club. The Niterol-born goalie was fourth in line to start for Odair Hellmann’s side last season.
Pitaluga has represented Brazil at various youth levels from Under-15 onwards and managed to catch the eye in the Copa Sao Paulo earlier this year. He seems destined to have a bright future at the top level as long as he is willing to work hard on becoming the best version of himself in the years to come.
The talented teenager might have to wait for his chance to feature for Jurgen Klopp’s first-team as he will likely find himself as a part of the Liverpool U-23 squad when he completes his transfer to Anfield in the coming days.
What Will The Brazilian Youngster Bring To The Red Half Of Merseyside?
Pitaluga possesses quick reflexes which he can use to make some tidy stops at the back. He is a decent handler of the ball and is not shy of clearing his lines when being chased down by the opposition attackers. However, the South American sensation can improve his ball-distribution considerably when passing the ball out from the back. He is still relatively inexperienced as he is yet to taste football at the highest level.
Is Pitaluga A Prospect For The Future?
Klopp will have to be patient with his development if he wants to nurture Pitaluga into a top goalkeeper in the future. For now, it makes sense for the Reds to strengthen their goalkeeping department so that they can finally cut Loris Karius loose during this ongoing transfer window. If both Kamil Grabara and Caoimhin Kelleher end up going out on loan this summer, then the Fluminense youth product could even get the honour of training with the first-team as Klopp’s third-choice goalie.
Pitaluga’s addition will benefit the champions of England in the long-run. The young custodian will also learn a lot from Liverpool’s first-choice keeper and his fellow countryman, Alisson Becker. With all things considered, the Brazilian goalie will be a prospect to look out for in the coming seasons, so the Reds have done well to finalise his transfer this summer.
