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It represents a booming statement of intent.

Liverpool have moved to solve the biggest problem facing Jurgen Klopp by sealing a world-record £66.8million deal with Roma for Alisson.

The Reds have shattered the previous highest transfer involving a goalkeeper – the £34.7m that Manchester City paid Benfica for Ederson in 2017.

Alisson becomes the club's fourth signing of the summer following deals for Naby Keita, Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri.

There's no question this is the most significant one of the lot by some distance.

Since the Reds' thrilling run to the Champions League final ended in heartbreak, this is the signing that Kopites have craved more than any other.

They wanted to see a real show of ambition. They wanted to see an area of glaring weakness properly addressed with a top-class new arrival.

In Alisson that's what Liverpool will be getting.

The 25-year-old shot-stopper had long since been Klopp's top target.

Loris Karius' meltdown in Kiev put the Reds' goalkeeping situation centre stage but Liverpool had been pursuing Alisson long before that.

There were lengthy discussions with his representatives over the course of last season about the prospect of moving to Anfield.

At the time Liverpool didn't fancy their chances of securing his services. Roma's price tag continued to climb with their belief that the Reds had bought Mohamed Salah on the cheap the previous summer inflating the figures.

The Anfield hierarchy were also informed that Real Madrid were leading the chase for his signature.

However, rather than pursue an alternative, Klopp decided to sit tight. Possible alternatives such as Jack Butland, Nick Pope, Jasper Cillessen and Thomas Strakosha were dismissed.

Alisson was the one Klopp wanted and the manager was prepared to wait.

(Image: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images)

Pre-season started with Klopp promising Karius a fresh start and insisting that concussion was an “explanation not an excuse” for his blunders against Real Madrid.

But it soon became clear that the German keeper's confidence was shot to bits. Liverpool's need for a new No 1 was increasingly urgent.

With Simon Mignolet expected to move on after five years at Anfield, the prospect of going into the new campaign with Karius and Danny Ward was an alarming one.

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This week Liverpool finally bit the bullet. The landscape had changed with Real turning their attention to Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois and the Reds had received sufficient encouragement from Allison's representatives to make their move.

Sporting director Michael Edwards opened talks with Roma which continued late into Tuesday night. An agreement had been reached by Wednesday, personal terms were then agreed and a medical passed by Thursday afternoon.

The Reds then confirmed the world-record deal later that night.

Klopp already boasts the most expensive defender in world football in Virgil van Dijk and now the commanding Dutchman will have the most expensive keeper on the planet operating behind him.

Throw into the mix the most potent frontline in Europe in Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, coupled with the £90m worth of new midfield talent in Keita and Fabinho, and no wonder Kopites are buzzing.

Alisson's arrival only fuels that burning sense of optimism.