Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has revealed that he turned down the chance to become our new number one this summer – in order to remain with his current shirt number, which is 22.
Mignolet, who was signed from Sunderland in the summer of 2013, was unable to take the number one shirt when he initially joined Liverpool – as Brad Jones was its occupant at the time and remained so until this summer.
However, the Belgian says he is more than happy with his current choice and didn’t see the need to move.
“Although I was offered the No.1, 22 is my number,” he explained. “I’ve always worn it ever since I started playing professional football – I started with that number back in Belgium, I wore it at Sunderland and I started my career here at Liverpool with it, so I didn’t want to change it.
“I wouldn’t say I was superstitious, but it’s something that is part of me. When you feel comfortable and it’s something good, why would you change it?”
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Our No. 22 has certainly been in fine form so far this season, keeping three consecutive clean sheets to start the season. Indeed, he has very much picked up where he left off during our previous campaign, where he was arguably our best player for much of the year.
Of course, things could have been very different. He was dropped from the team in favour of Jones in December last year after a poor run of form and it was only an injury to the Australian which allowed him to regain his place.
Thankfully, he’s not looked back since and now looks like the player we bought more than two years ago. Speaking with our official website this week, Mignolet explained how things are going right both on and off the pitch.
“I am happy personally with how things are going, both on and off the pitch, in 2015 – the way I responded after my short period on the bench, coming back and keeping those clean sheets, winning the Player of the Year award from the LFC Legends, getting married and having a good start to this season.”
Mignolet will be looking to continue that form against West Ham United this coming Saturday, where he’ll be hoping to record clean sheet number four of the season so far.
“Let’s hope we can do that,” he said. “There are still 90 minutes to be played and it’s not going to be an easy game against West Ham, they’re always a tough opponent. We have to make sure we keep the same performance level we have done so far this season and I’m sure we can.”