Although it just over 24-hours until the first leg of Liverpool’s League Cup semi-final meeting with Stoke City, with the transfer window now well and truly open, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp had to take some time in his pre-match press conference to field inquiries about their reported interest in Barcelona shot-stopper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and FC Köln goalkeeper Timo Horn.
“No”, was his only response when asked if a bid for the Blaugranes ‘keeper was on the horizon. “We have some problems at this moment but thank God not around the goalkeeper position so everything is okay,” said Klopp with a smile. “It’s how I said plenty of time on the goalkeeper position and the situation is more than okay, we are satisfied. I know both goalkeepers.”
He may be quite a ways off from being ready for primetime, but Liverpool will reportedly bring in a ‘keeper in Janaury with Ruch Chorzow’s 16-year old shot stopper Kamil Grabara — who has had trials at Manchester City and Manchester United — rumoured to be due for a medical at Melwood this week ahead of going straight into the academy. That being said, the youngster will pose no threat to Simon Mignolet’s spot in the starting eleven with Klopp once again quick to praise the work the Belgian has done on Merseyside.
“Simon Mignolet is a really, really, really good goalkeeper. Number two in Belgium – or number one we will see – but maybe number two at the European Championships. It’s a big football country in this moment so he’s had a good education in all parts of life, especially goalkeeping. I spoke a lot with John Achterberg and things like this so we have solutions in our on squad.”
