Liverpool have added Brazilian goalkeeping legend Claudio Taffarel to their first-team staff, with the 55-year-old arriving upon recommendation from Alisson.
The Reds have moved to bolster Jurgen Klopp‘s backroom staff further with the addition of Taffarel, who last worked in club football with Galatasaray.
A legendary stopper who earned 101 caps for Brazil as well as playing for the likes of Internacional, Parma, Atletico Mineiro and Galatasary, Taffarel is set to work alongside current goalkeeping coaches John Achterberg and Jack Robinson.
According to Goal‘s Neil Jones, his role will be as senior goalkeeping coach, which he will operate in alongside his ongoing duties with the Brazil national team.
Taffarel held talks with the club during the summer and was present at the training ground in Kirkby last week, and will now begin sessions when he is granted a UK work permit.
He arrives following a recommendation from Alisson, who he works with for Brazil, and comes after Liverpool’s No. 1 signed a new six-year deal just three months ago.
While it is maintained that Taffarel will work with Achterberg and Robinson, his appointment could cast doubts over the future of Achterberg in particular.
Achterberg has worked with Liverpool since 2009, and though he is well-liked and respected within the first-team staff and squad, it seems unlikely the club will retain three goalkeeping coaches for the long term.
During senior training sessions, Achterberg and Robinson typically work with a group of three or four goalkeepers, with Alisson supported by Caoimhin Kelleher, Adrian and either Loris Karius or a youngster.
More recently, 18-year-old Brazilian stopper Marcelo Pitaluga has been a regular in first-team training, and it would be no surprise if Taffarel is being brought in to aid the development of his countryman.
Speaking to the Mail in 2020, Alisson paid tribute to Taffarel as a trailblazer for Brazilian goalkeepers in Europe.
“Taffarel is the big guy, the big boss,” he said.
“He was an inspiration for us young goalies and now I have the opportunity to work together with him in the national team because he is the goalie coach.
“He was the first Brazilian goalie to play in Europe.
“He opened the way for a new generation, for people to look more to Brazilian goalies, the same way me and Ederson are doing that, the same way Dida did that at AC Milan, the same way Julio Cesar did that at Inter.
“We have to keep showing people the quality of the Brazilian goalies.”
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