Ex-Liverpool keeper tells Klopp to sign 22-year-old who’ll become ‘best in the world’ after Karius blunders

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Remember when Gerard Houllier signed Chris Kirkland and Jerzey Dudek on the same day, when we already had Sander Westerveld at the club?

What a time to be alive!

While Dudek is partly responsible for the greatest night in the club’s history against AC Milan in Istanbul, Kirkland sadly never realised his massive potential – only making 25 Premier League appearances for us between 2001 and 2006. Injuries hampered him every time he got a run in the side and he eventually went on to have a lengthy career at Wigan instead, in the main.

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Kirkland does some punditry work now and has taken time to name the keeper he believes Liverpool should sign – Sunderland’s 22-year-old Englishman Jordan Pickford – claiming the stopper could become one of the best on the planet.

“For me, he could be one of the best in the world – he is the best I have worked with, that’s for sure,” Kirkland told the Shields Gazette. 

“He would make saves like that all of the time at Preston. I think he has made the second most saves in the Premier League this season.

“It is really up to him how far he goes, because he has the whole package.

“I told Liverpool to sign him last summer. He will have all of the top clubs looking at him – not just in England, but in Europe as well. He definitely won’t be there next summer.”

Pickford’s done well at Sunderland, but it’s almost easier to impress when you’re playing for a relegation candidate, as you have lots of saves to make and aren’t blamed when you concede goals.

Karius has struggled since his arrival from Mainz, but has great feet and plays as a ‘sweeper keeper’, unlike Pickford whose style is more traditional.

It’s clear Klopp wants a ball-playing keeper long-term, hence the Karius purchase, so we can’t see Pickford coming in any time soon.

Karius could well still come good for us, but it may be time for Liverpool to temporarily take him out of the firing line and bring Simon Mignolet back for the next few games, until the German’s confidence is reinstalled.

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