Liverpool's £2million Brazilian goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga has gone on a season-long loan – to Macclesfield of the Northern Premier League Division One West.
Silkmen director of football Robbie Savage pulled off the phoenix club's coup by promising to give Pitaluga the No.1 shirt and a guaranteed first-team football.
Pitaluga, 19, was part of the Brazil squad who won the Under-17 World Cup and his progress at Anfield has been so rapid that he has become a regular in Liverpool's Under-23 side.
His compatriot, first-choice Reds keeper Alisson Becker, said: “Marcelo is really talented. I saw him a few times back in Brazil, but I know more about him here as a goalie and as a person as well.
"He is a really special boy, he is really excited about having the opportunity to play for Liverpool. Now he has settled in and is doing really well in training.
“He is a boy who trains really hard and is really dedicated to what he is doing. And someone who likes to learn as well. So it is really good to work together with him, not only for being Brazilian but for being a really good talent and such a good person.”
Macclesfield were only born again last year after the original club went into liquidation, but they stormed to the North West Counties Premier title at the first attempt.
Savage said: “To attract players of Marcelo’s stature really shows how far the football club has come in a very short period of time.
"For Liverpool, one of the biggest clubs in the world, to trust us with one of their most promising talents speaks volumes about how we are perceived in the wider footballing world and I would like to thank them wholeheartedly for allowing Marcelo to join us for the 2022-23 campaign.”
