Jürgen Klopp has said Liverpool are not in the market for a new goalkeeper after being linked with Stoke's Jack Butland and the Belgium Under-21 international Guillaume Hubert.
Ahead of the English League Cup tie against Southampton tonight, Klopp insisted he was happy with his current number one, Simon Mignolet, and was not about to hire a replacement.
“It is a good moment to talk about the goalkeepers at Liverpool,” he said. “I am absolutely satisfied with our goalkeeping situation. I am sorry to kill your stories about German goalkeepers and goalkeepers from Stoke.
“We are not looking for another goalkeeper. We have enough high-quality goalkeepers, I’ve had a lot of goalkeepers over the last few years and Simon Mignolet is one of the smartest I have ever had.
“He is completely open and he’s young enough to develop, to improve. He’s not had the easiest situation before I came here, but since I have been here there has been nothing to criticise, absolutely nothing. He’s a good football player.
"Everyone is watching for a second Manuel Neuer [the Bayern Munich and Germany goalkeeper] or something, but he is in a really good way. We just have to learn as a team to give the ball to the keeper in the right situation. Our goalkeeping situation is a comfortable one and I hope it stays like this."
Rare start
Notwithstanding Klopp’s praise for Mignolet, Liverpool’s number two
Adam Bogdan
may get a rare start against Southampton while the manager said
Daniel Sturridge
and
Jordan Henderson
suffered no reaction after second-half substitute appearances in the 1-0 win over Swansea City on Sunday following time out with injuries and will travel to Southampton.
Sturridge had been out since early October due to a knee problem while Henderson, the captain, had been missing since mid-August with a broken foot.
“Henderson and Sturridge will be in the squad. We have these two options. We can’t ignore that there could be extra-time; 120 minutes would be too much [for Henderson and Sturridge],” Klopp said.
Philippe Coutinho may also be available following a hamstring injury. "He could be close, but we need to check and double check the situation," Klopp said.
He was reluctant to discuss Liverpool’s prospects of reaching the final. “The quarter-final is far away from the final. We are prepared to be in a good situation, the squad is in a good run at this moment. We are really far away, but to go to a final would be interesting. I am excited.
“At this moment I can’t say which team I can play tomorrow [Wednesday] – the last game was only two days ago. And of course we want to win.” Guardian Service
