Mignolet in line for new Anfield deal
LIveRPOOL have opened contract talks with Simon Mignolet after Jurgen Klopp gave a glowing endorsement of the Belgium goalkeeper’s ability.
Mignolet signed a five-year deal when he arrived from Sunderland in the summer of 2013 but he has not always commanded the faith of Liverpool fans and, at this point last season, he had lost the favour of Brendan Rodgers, too.
His long- term future at anfield looked debatable after he was dropped at Old Trafford last December, but, to his credit, he has fought back and shown himself to be an outstanding shot-stopper.
Klopp has certainly been taken with Mignolet, so much so that he did not miss the chance to dismiss stories of moves in January for Stoke’s Jack Butland and Timo Horn of Cologne and endorse the credentials of his current No 1. The 27-year-old has not figured in the Capital One Cup so far this season, with adam Bogdan used in the previous rounds against Carlisle United and Bournemouth, but Klopp is giving serious consideration to playing him at St Mary’s tonight.
‘It is a good moment to talk about the goalkeepers at Liverpool,’ said Klopp, whose side have won six of their last seven matches. ‘I am absolutely satisfied with our goalkeeping situation. I am sorry to kill your stories about German goalkeepers and goalkeepers from Stoke.
‘We are not looking for another goalkeeper. We have enough highquality goalkeepers, I’ve had a lot of goalkeepers over the last few years and Simon Mignolet is one of the smartest I have ever had.
‘He is completely open and he’s young enough to develop, to improve. He’s not had the easiest situation before I came here, but since I have been here there has been nothing to criticise, absolutely nothing. everyone is watch- ing for a second Manuel Neuer or something, but he is in a really good way. We just have to learn as a team to give the ball to the keeper in the right situation. Our goalkeeping situation is a comfortable one and I hope it stays like this.’
Klopp will also hope his team’s form will stay the same. They head to the south coast with the same players who began the campaign but they look a different proposition and the hope is that he will gather a trophy in his first year.
Should Liverpool go all the way — Klopp, for the moment, is not looking any further than what he expects will be a difficult test against Southampton — it would mean a first visit to Wembley since Borussia Dortmund lost the 2013 Champions League final against Bayern Munich.
‘I would like to think about this (issue) the evening before we play at Wembley and not today,’ said Klopp. ‘I don’t need motivation like this to think, “Come on!”. It is not on my schedule.
‘I don’t look at my diary and think I can (go back to) change things at Wembley. The final is too far away. But nobody should be doubting our ambitions in this tournament. We have an away game so we are not the favourites.
Klopp also said he had enjoyed ‘a good talk’ with Daniel Sturridge, as he explained what he meant when he said the 26-year-old had to learn to play with pain.
‘If someone has more injuries than someone else, then they will be more in doubt about things,’ said Klopp. ‘ That is normal. Nobody is alone at Melwood.’
When Liverpool and Southampton met in the Barclays Premier League in October, they drew 1-1 but the Saints emerged from that game with more credit.
Yet Koeman feels an improved performance will be required if the club are going to be winning silverware.
‘It’s very important because we have two opportunities to win a title,’ said Koeman, who will replace injured captain Jose Fonte with Steven Caulker. ‘One is the Fa Cup and the second one is the Capital One Cup.
‘We don’t win the Premier League and it’s very important (to do well in this match). First, about the competition we like to reach the semi-final, and, second, after the two defeats the best way to get back full of confidence is winning.’