Liverpool have signed 18-year-old Belgian goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans from Genk in a transfer deadline day deal reported to be worth just under £30 million.
The teenage goalkeeper has agreed a six-year contract with the Premier League club. However, as reported by Daily Mail Sport on Monday, Brughmans will remain at Genk on loan for the remainder of the current campaign before making his official move to Anfield ahead of the 2027-28 season.
Belgian sources indicate that the transfer agreement includes an initial fee understood to be £28 million, which will be supplemented by a further £1.5 million in potential performance-related bonuses.
Brughmans is widely regarded as the next Thibaut Courtois, drawing comparisons to the senior Belgium international who also launched his professional career at Belgian Pro League side Genk before joining Real Madrid. Liverpool's Global Talent team, led by Matt Newberry, identified the young shot-stopper and secured his signature despite strong competition from Real Madrid.
The move underlines Liverpool's strategy to continue building for the future through their global scouting network. Brughmans follows several other high-potential young additions who have joined the Merseyside club within the last 12 months, including Amin Pesci, Mor Talla N'Diaye, Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Samuel Martinez.
The 18-year-old previously underlined his potential with a series of standout performances for his country at the 2025 UEFA Under 17 Championship in Albania.
Major summer spending under Andoni Iraola
Brughmans' arrival came on the same day Liverpool confirmed the £123 million signing of French winger Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain. Barcola, 23, has joined on a five-year contract from the reigning two-time European champions after Liverpool achieved a breakthrough with PSG last week following several weeks of negotiations to bring down the French club's stubborn initial valuation of £145 million.
The deadline day business represents a major boost for new Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola. The Spanish manager has experienced a dramatic start to his tenure on Merseyside, watching his team begin their campaign with successive 2-2 draws in the Premier League against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.
Barcola and Brughmans join defender Jeremy Jacquet and winger Victor Munoz as major additions to the Liverpool squad this summer. Jacquet and Munoz completed moves to Anfield for £55 million and £34.5 million respectively before the acquisition of the Belgian goalkeeper.
