Liverpool complete Lucca Brughmans signing with season-long Genk loan-back

Liverpool have completed a deal to sign 18-year-old goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans from KRC Genk, with the Belgium youth international remaining at the Belgian club for the rest of the 2026/27 season.

Liverpool officially confirmed the agreement on Tuesday after Brughmans signed a long-term contract at the AXA Training Centre. He will now return to Genk before linking up with the Premier League club next summer.

The clubs have not disclosed the transfer fee. British media have reported that the total package, including potential add-ons, could reach around £30 million, but the financial terms remain unofficial.

Brughmans has emerged rapidly through Genk’s goalkeeping pathway. After making 32 appearances for the club’s reserve side, he made his senior debut in April 2026 and retained his place for the remainder of the campaign.

He has also started all four of Genk’s league matches at the beginning of the current season, giving him the opportunity to continue playing regular first-team football rather than immediately competing for minutes at Liverpool.

The goalkeeper has already held leadership roles at international youth level. He captained Belgium at both the Under-17 European Championship and Under-17 World Cup in 2025 and is now captain of the country’s Under-19 side.

Liverpool’s structure allows the club to secure Brughmans’ long-term future while leaving his immediate development environment unchanged for another season.

The transfer itself is complete rather than merely agreed in principle: Brughmans has signed his Liverpool contract and the club have formally announced the deal. His return to Genk for 2026/27 forms part of the confirmed arrangement, with the goalkeeper scheduled to join Liverpool permanently next summer.