By Benson Daniel
Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign highly rated Belgian goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans from KRC Genk, completing another move aimed at strengthening the club’s long term goalkeeping options.
The 18 year old has signed a long term contract with Liverpool after the Premier League champions reached an agreement with Genk on transfer deadline day.
However, Brughmans will not immediately move to England. The teenage goalkeeper will return to Belgium and remain with Genk for the duration of the 2026/27 season before joining Liverpool.
The transfer is reportedly worth around £30 million, making Brughmans one of the most expensive teenage goalkeepers in football. Liverpool have moved quickly to secure his services as they plan for the future of their goalkeeping department.
Brughmans has emerged as one of Belgium’s most promising young goalkeepers. After making 32 appearances for Genk’s reserve side, he stepped up to the senior team and made his first team debut in April 2026.
He subsequently established himself in the Genk side, making 10 further league appearances during the remainder of the campaign. He has also started all four of Genk’s matches at the beginning of the current season.
The 18 year old has also gained considerable experience at international youth level. Brughmans captained Belgium at both the Under 17 European Championship and Under 17 World Cup in 2025 and is now the captain of the country’s Under 19 team.
Standing at around two metres tall, Brughmans has attracted attention for his physical presence and development as a goalkeeper. His progression through the Genk system has also increased his reputation as one of the promising young goalkeepers emerging from Belgium.
Liverpool’s decision to secure his future comes as the club considers the longer term structure of its goalkeeping department. The Reds currently have Alisson Becker and Giorgi Mamardashvili among their senior goalkeeping options, but Brughmans is now being positioned as a player for the club’s future.
By allowing him to remain at Genk for another season, Liverpool will give the teenager the opportunity to continue playing regular first team football and gain valuable experience before making the move to England.
The agreement was officially announced by Liverpool on September 1, confirming that Brughmans had completed the formal signing before returning to Belgium.
The move represents another significant investment in youth talent by Liverpool as the club looks beyond the immediate campaign and seeks to secure some of Europe’s most promising young players.
Brughmans will now continue his development in Belgium before beginning the next stage of his career at Anfield in 2027.
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