Roma make contact with Udinese keeper as interest in Liverpool target intensifies

Chelsea are believed to have joined Real Madrid and Liverpool in the race for the goalkeeper

AS Roma have reportedly made contact with Udinese over goalkeeper Alex Meret as interest in their Brazilian number one, Alisson Becker, intensifies among Europe's top teams. It is believed that the Serie A side see Meret more as a back up to Alisson, given the high likelihood that current back up Łukasz Skorupski will leave the club this summer, but high interest in the Brazilian means that he may end being their starting keeper next season. The 21-year-old has spent the past two seasons on loan at SPAL, who were promoted from Serie B last summer, and helped them successfully stave off relegation during the 2017/18 season. Alisson has been linked with moves to both Liverpool and Real Madrid in recent months, and a report by respected Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio suggests that Chelsea may now be in the running to sign him after contract negotiations with their Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois collapsed. The London club have been attempting to tie Courtois down beyond his 2019 contract for a number of months, but the recent break in negotiations suggests that they may now look elsewhere. Real Madrid meanwhile appear to have turned their attention away from perennial target David de Gea, and will reportedly seek to make Alisson compete with current number one Keylor Navas, before replacing him.