Loris Karius is consoled by his Liverpool team-mates

Should Reds keep Karius? We look at who should be Liverpool's next keeper

Football

Mon May 28, 2018 · 8y ago

Jurgen Klopp faces a huge decision this summer as he ponders whether to risk backing Loris Karius or bring in a new goalkeeper - Paul Higham looks at Liverpool's best options.

Jurgen Klopp has earned almost wall-to-wall plaudits so far in his Liverpool career, especially after the latest exciting season, but he now faces the biggest summer of his tenure and in particular one huge decision over who will be in goal for the Reds next season.

Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet don’t appear to be the answer at Anfield – and although the young German shot-stopper deserves to have a second chance, if that’s given to him at Liverpool then Klopp’s taking an almighty gamble.

Klopp is fiercely loyal and will want to back the man he brought in from Mainz to the hilt, but now is the time for Liverpool to go for a recognised talent in between the sticks, rather than the huge risk of sticking with Karius.

Goalkeeper has been the one area Klopp has yet to shine in so far during his time at Anfield – his defensive coaching was questioned but his tireless pursuit of Virgil van Dijk has paid off as his backline has been hugely improved since the Dutchman’s big-money move from Southampton.

In the Champions League final, against the most dominant European side for generations, van Dijk, Dejan Lovren, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson handled Cristiano Ronaldo and company with great assurance and solidity.

Gareth Bale had to fire in the best goal the showpiece final has ever seen either side of two of the biggest goalkeeping errors the game has ever seen from Karius to enable Real Madrid to emerge victorious – with all three goals almost impossible for Liverpool’s defence to prevent.

So, a proven, trusted keeper is a must if Liverpool are to challenge for honours next season, and there are a number of interesting options for Klopp to take a look at as he ponders his plans for 2018/19.

(Sky Bet Odds to start Liverpool's first Premier League game of 2018/19 season)

Jack Butland 8/13

Jack Butland has been handed a start by England

Engand keeper Jack Butland is odds-on to join Liverpool this summer

Talk of a move to Anfield has circulated for a while, and relegation for Stoke surely means the England man is on the move. He’s not been quite back to his best this season but playing behind a woeful Potters defence will not have helped.

Solid in all areas and a commanding presence under pressure from corners and crosses, Butland could come at a reduced price depending on any relegation clause in his contract and, although he’s untested at the highest level, he’s certainly an upgrade.

Alisson 11/4

Roma goalkeeper Alisson in action against Liverpool

The Brazilian number one must be some keeper to prevent Manchester City’s Ederson from getting a game, and he showed glimpses of that during Roma’s Champions League run. Even when conceding five at Anfield he pulled off a number of decent saves to keep the scoreline somewhat respectable.

Roma won't let him go cheaply, but now's the time for Liverpool to go big or go home, and with it being such an important position it makes sense to do what it takes to bring the right man in.

Loris Karius 4/1

Loris Karius endured a nightmare Champions League final

Your heart must go out to Karius, who at 24 is still a young man and now faces a huge challenge to rebuild his career after such high-profile errors. You feel, though, that perhaps the best move all round would be for him to leave Anfield this summer and perhaps start a rebuilding process back in Germany.

He’ll be reminded of his mistakes at every game in the Premier League, and any glimpse of another gaff will get fans and media dragging up his Kiev calamity time and time again. Backing him also puts a huge strain on Klopp, who will be putting his neck on the line should Karius mess up again in another high profile game.

He was showing signs of improvement after being handed the gloves full-time, but a couple of errors against Roma and City went unpunished in stark contrast to his nightmare in Kiev. It would take a brave man and a brave manager for him to be lining up in Liverpool’s goal next season.

Simon Mignolet 10/1

Simon Mignolet is widely expected to leave Liverpool this summer

The Belgian is not a bad goalkeeper, but he’s just not at the level Liverpool require if they’re to go on and start winning trophies. Mignolet is a talented shot-stopper, but he’s painfully slow to come off his line, something which is crucial for Klopp’s style of play, while his kicking is a four out of 10 at best.

He also lacks an aerial presence and is too easily bullied by opposition at corners and set plays – it’d be a huge shock if he didn’t leave the club this summer.

Jan Oblak 16/1

Jan Oblak would be a hard man to sign from Atletico Madrid

Oblak’s been one of the best goalkeepers in Europe for a number of years, but prizing him away from Atletico Madrid would take some doing. The Solvenian has no real weaknesses and is about as safe a bet as you can make in a keeper – but the fee and persuading him to leave the Spanish capital may be the big sticking points.

Atletico are in the Spanish title mix year after year and also challenging for the Champions League so it's hard to see why he'd leave, unless money comes into play or Diego Simeone and/or Antoine Griezmann leave to signal the break-up of this great squad.

Nick Pope 20/1

Could Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope be heading to Anfield?

A wildcard in the mix, Pope has been a revelation for Burnley this season having gone from bench-warmer at Turf Moor to Russia as one of England’s World Cup goalkeepers. Another solid citizen, Pope would not let anyone down but has an obvious lack of experience at the top level.

With club captain Tom Heaton itching to get back after injury, Burnley could well be forced to sell one or the other, and Sean Dyche may feel it better to cash in on Pope after his stellar season. It’s hard to see him as Liverpool’s number one, though.

Best of the rest...

For my money, Kasper Schmeichel could be an ideal candidate - he's a Premier League winner, experienced international and has all the ability needed to be a keeper at top club. Given the uncertainty surrounding Claude Puel at Leicester it'd be no surprise to see him caching the eye of the league's big clubs.