Liverpool is close to signing the Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. According to the reports, both the clubs have reached an agreement on the transfer fee.
Now, Mignolet just has to go through the medical test and his signing will be confirmed.
Mignolet was one of the few Sunderland players who were impressive in the last season. The 25 years old Belgian goalkeeper kept more than 10 clean sheets in 40 matches.
Mignolet will be the 4th player to be signed by Liverpool this season. The other three signings are Lago Aspas (Celta Vigo), Kolo Toure (Manchester City) and Luis Alberto (Sevilla).
The signing of Mignolet has raised questions over the future of Pepe Reina who has been the first choice goalkeeper for Liverpool since the last few years. There have been speculations that Reina might decide to leave Liverpool this summer.
However, Reina himself denied those speculations yesterday and said that he was happy playing for Liverpool.
When asked if the signing of Mignolet has prompted him to think about making a move this summer, Reina said, “Not at all. I am glad with Mignolet’s signing. He is a young goalkeeper with enormous talent. He will be a competition for me.”
The Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers also made it clear to the reporters in one of his interviews yesterday that despite the signing of Mignolet, it’s Reina who will be his first choice goalkeeper.
Rodgers said, “The signing of Simon doesn’t mean that Pepe is leaving. He is still our first choice goalie. We just want to have competition for places in the side and Pepe knows that.”
Pepe Reina had signed for Liverpool 8 years back in July 2005 after leaving Villarreal. He has so far featured for Liverpool in 285 games.