BBC Sport
It has stood for 17 long years. But the 53m euros (£32.6m) Juventus paid Parma for Gianluigi Buffon in 2001 is no longer a world record fee for a goalkeeper.
Implicit in the length of time it lasted is the confidence Juventus had in Buffon becoming an all-time great. A once-in-a-lifetime talent. But as the game grew richer and richer, the longevity of the record has been the cause of some surprise.
If anything, it symbolised the enduring undervaluation of the goalkeeping position. Undervalued it is no more.
Liverpool's decision to invest up to 75m euros (£66.8m) in Alisson looks an expensive one, because it goes against the conventional wisdom. This is the kind of money clubs are supposed to invest in goalscorers. Not goalkeepers.
