Marcelo Pitaluga

Goalkeeper Marcelo Pitaluga caught the attention of Liverpool's goalkeeping coach, John Achtenberg, in the Brazil squad that won the FIFA U-17 World Cup. He was already playing for Fluminense's reserve side at the age of sixteen where he worked with Alisson Becker’s goalkeeping brother, Muriel. Pitaluga signed for Liverpool in October 2020 for an initial £1 million. During 2021/22 he was on the bench four times, two of them in the Premier League. He was loaned to Macclesfield for season 2022/23, a move which raised eyebrows given they were in the eighth tier, albeit as a phoenix club being run as a professional outfit. Pitaluga made sixteen appearances in the eighth tier Northern Premier League 1st Division West before injuring ankle ligaments. His season was assumed to be over but he returned to fitness to appear for Liverpool's under 21's and was allowed a farewell outing for Macclesfield in April, but which time they had already clinched the title.  

For the first half of 2023/24 Pitaluga remained at Liverpool and was on the bench for two Europa League group games as well as a Premier League match at Sheffield United. In January 2024 a loan was agreed with Irish side St Patricks Athletic. It was intended to cover their whole season which ran from February to November, but Pitaluga was recalled to Liverpool in July due to lack of game time having been dropped to the bench after the first four league games. He was loaned to Livingston in the Scottish Championship for the 2024/25 season, but he only made just two appearances in the first half of the season, both in the Challenge Cup. On 6 January 2025 it was confirmed he had rejoined Fluminense for an undisclosed fee, but he had to be content with a place on the bench for his first season back in his homeland.