MIGNOLET PUTS FUTURE DOUBTS TO BACK OF MIND
Liverpool’s out-of-favour goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is putting speculation about his future to one side so it does not interfere with their Champions League final build-up.
The former Sunderland goalkeeper and Belgium international has not featured since the end of January after losing his first-team place to Loris Karius and it is possible the 30-year-old could move on this summer.
But Mignolet will not entertain any discussions about his future ahead of Saturday’s clash with Real Madrid in Kiev as he does not want to disturb the feeling of togetherness in the dressing room.
“No individual is bigger than the team, especially when you have the final of the Champions League to play,” he said.
“Even more so you have to play the part the club, the players and supporters need because in the end if you play for a trophy like that any individual is not important.”
Asked whether this could be his last outing in a Liverpool squad, Mignolet added: “That’s not really something I am thinking of. I have three years of a contract.
“There will be a lot of speculation about my name because I am not playing but I am not really thinking about it.”
Mignolet joined Liverpool from Sunderland in 2013 for a £9million fee.
Though he may be on the sidelines now, it was Mignolet who helped get Liverpool’s Champions League campaign up and running.
He saved Andrej Kramaric’s penalty with the score at 0-0 early in the first leg of their qualifier in Hoffenheim way back at the beginning of the season in August.
That seems a long time ago now but despite the Belgian not being involved in the team he remains positive.
“I try to be as part of it as much as I can,” he added.
“There are times when there are frustrating moments because of what has been before, not only that game against Hoffenheim away but also here at home and the whole campaign (last season) before to get into the Champions League.
“We had to work really hard for that, just as this year, until the last game of the season to grab fourth spot.
“We still had to play a qualifier to get into it and then you know what you have done.
“Because you have such a good dressing room everyone feels together and there is a real togetherness in the squad which helps a lot.”