Jurgen Klopp has hit back at Simon Mignolet’s criticism of Liverpool for allowing Loris Karius to leave on loan rather than him.
Mignolet said this week that it was “strange” that former No.1 Karius had been sent to Besiktas while he was denied a similar move despite the Belgian making it clear that he felt he needed to play.
As the transfer window closes across Europe today, Klopp has warned Mignolet that he will stay at Anfield to serve as back-up for Alisson.
“He will not be leaving,” Klopp told his pre-match press conference before the meeting with Leicester. I would say discussing your problems in public doesn’t make too much sense. Better to speak to each other. If he was happy to be a number two, then I wouldn’t know him. There are worse things in the world to be and you’re pretty well paid at Liverpool.”
Simon Mignolet appears to have been left disillusioned by Liverpool’s decision to loan fellow goalkeeper Loris Karius to Besiktas.
Karius joined the Turkish side on a two-year loan deal last week for an initial loan fee of £2.25m and are obligated to make the switch permanent by paying a further £7.25m in the event of criteria relating to appearances and qualification for European competition being met.
Mignolet, like Karius, is also seeking first-team football following the arrival of Alisson Becker from AS Roma.
Besiktas initially wanted to sign Mignolet on loan, only for Liverpool to block their approach – insisting that the Belgian could only leave in a permanent transfer.
And Liverpool’s subsequent decision to sanction a loan move for Karius does not appear to have gone down well with Mignolet.
“I find it bizarre that Karius was loaned while I also had options to be loaned. But for some reason that was not possible,” Mignolet told Belgian publication, Het Laatste Nieuws.
“The transfer of Karius doesn’t change anything for me…I have always been clear: I want to play.”