Simon Mignolet set for talks over Liverpool future after World Cup• Belgium goalkeeper has slipped down Anfield pecking order
• Mignolet: ‘After the World Cup I will look at everything’
Simon Mignolet will hold talks with Liverpool on the conclusion of Belgium’s World Cup campaign as he seeks to ascertain whether there will be first-team opportunities for him next season. The goalkeeper, who had begun last season as Jürgen Klopp’s first-choice, made his most recent Premier League appearance on New Year’s Day and has played only once for his club, in the fourth round FA Cup defeat to West Bromwich Albion, since having fallen behind Loris Karius in the pecking order.
The latter is due back for pre-season training on Monday with Klopp to assess his fellow German’s state of mind after his errors in the Champions League final defeat by Real Madrid.
While Liverpool have made the signing of a goalkeeper a priority, they have failed to make progress in securing an upgrade on either Karius or Mignolet.
A move for Roma’s Alisson has proved more expensive than anticipated and difficult to negotiate, while Jan Oblak at Atlético Madrid has also effectively been priced out of a transfer. That has opened up the prospect of both goalkeepers remaining at Anfield, albeit Mignolet will seek clarity on the role he would play. “I am going to look at my situation when I come back from the World Cup,” he said after watching Belgium’s 1-0 defeat of England from the sidelines in Kaliningrad.
“At this moment I have not been speaking to anyone at Liverpool because I have been trying to focus on Belgium.
[The goalkeeping coach] John Achterberg sends me a text before every game, to see how I am and if I am fit, so I keep in touch with him.
“But I didn’t play in the last few months at Liverpool, so after the World Cup I will look at everything. I can’t say much more. I don’t know how long I will have off after the tournament. I need to speak to the manager about that.” Mignolet has had spells out of the Liverpool side before, under Klopp and his predecessor Brendan Rodgers, only to regain his place. But, after five years at the club, he will be reluctant to go into the new season as second-choice. The 30-year-old was frustrated not to be granted the chance to put himself in the shop window in Kaliningrad. The Belgium manager, Roberto Martinez, made nine changes but Thibaut Courtois was retained in goal.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/29/simon-mignolet-liverpool-talks-world-cup?CMP=share_btn_tw [ 此帖被羅力亞在2018-08-03 02:55重新編輯 ]
