Both Liverpool and Manchester United are preparing for Champions League football next season while also looking to significantly strengthen their squads this summer.
Despite their shared ambitions, the two Premier League giants face criticism for dealing with narrow squad depth and some disappointing results during the 2025/26 campaign.
Among several areas requiring attention, goalkeeper recruitment has emerged as a priority position being evaluated by both clubs heading into the transfer window.
Sports Boom has reported that Liverpool and Manchester United are eyeing a summer swoop for Brighton and Hove Albion’s Bart Verbruggen as a potential solution between the sticks.
Verbruggen is widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s most high-quality shot-stoppers, with Brighton’s reputation for developing top talent making his availability an attractive prospect.
The Dutch goalkeeper is valued at £35 million on Transfermarkt, a fee that reflects his considerable standing within the top flight after consistent performances on the south coast.
The prospect of Champions League football next season could prove to be a decisive factor in convincing Verbruggen to evaluate his options ahead of the summer window.
Manchester United could emerge as the frontrunners in this pursuit, with their need for goalkeeping reinforcement appearing more pressing than Liverpool’s current situation.
Alisson Becker is expected to continue at Anfield, and with Giorgi Mamardashvili also available to the Reds, there is no pressing urgency for Liverpool to add another goalkeeper to their roster.
United’s situation is more complicated, with Andre Onana unlikely to feature in Michael Carrick’s plans and Tom Heaton occupying only a third-choice role at the club.
Senne Lammens has performed admirably, but the addition of a player of Verbruggen’s quality would give Carrick two genuinely high-calibre options to rotate and compete with each week.
At just 23 years old, Verbruggen has both the talent and the ambition to make a significant impact at a club competing at the very highest level of European football.