All three of Liverpool’s keepers will begin pre-season on a level playing field, with a chance of securing the starting spot between the sticks for 2017/18.
Simon Mignolet rightly earned the no.1 spot last term, but now he’ll be competing with both Loris Karius and returning Welshman Danny Ward, who performed so excellently on loan for Huddersfield.
According to Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool need more than one top level stopper and he’s happy to let them fight it out.
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“That’s very comfortable for the manager, three really good goalkeepers,” he told Liverpoolfc.com.
“It is like it is and nothing is decided, they can all show how good they are. I don’t want to bring doubt so that they start doubting.
“They are at a fantastic club and a fantastic football club needs fantastic goalkeepers. We had a really good goalkeeping season.
“Yes, it was a little bit difficult for Loris but I’m sure he had his part in the development of Simon, who played a really good season. And Danny played a fantastic season at Huddersfield with a big success at the end.
“We have three goalkeepers and they can all show what they are able to do, and then we will see who will start.”
Klopp likes Karius’s distribution and ability to start attacks from deep, but the German simply made too many errors when selected last season.
Mignolet made huge improvements and is no longer regarded as a weakness – but there’s still doubts that he provides a good enough long-term option.
Liverpool turned down another loan approach for Ward from Huddersfield last month, but we’d be surprised if he does remain at the club as a third-choice keeper.
This would be bad for his development, so we reckon after the summer friendlies, Liverpool will allow him an exit.