Loris Karius set to be rewarded with new deal

Bengaluru, April 17: German keeper Loris Karius could land a fresh new deal with Liverpool after impressing for the Reds under the bar for the first time since his arrival at the Merseyside club.

The German keeper only broke into Jurgen Klopp’s team at the turn of the year but has impressed in the run to the Champions League semi-final.

The 24-year-old is set for a pay-rise on his £50,000-a-week deal at Anfield as a reward for his fine form. The ex-Mainz goalie arrived two years ago but struggled to adapt to Premier League football and was behind Simon Mignolet in the pecking order.

Klopp is still in the market for a goalkeeper and is a fan of Stoke’s Jack Butland and Alisson at Roma but Karius will attempt to keep his No1 jersey next season.

He has three years left on the deal he signed when he arrived at Liverpool and could get a small extension with much improved terms.

The German received heavy criticism in his rookie season in the Premier League when he made a costly error against Bournemouth and was blasted by Sky pundit Gary Neville. But he has seized his chance following Mignolet’s dip in form and has only lost two games since breaking through.

On top of that, Karius has kept a hatful of clean sheets, including in the crucial 3-0 win over Manchester City in the first-leg of the Champions League last-eight.

Karius also managed to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League victory over Bournemouth on Saturday (April 14). There is a sense of confidence in the young keeper's game right now after having played a series of games on the succession and he is also quite good with his feet.

Liverpool's long-term goalkeeping problem seems to be solved at the moment and Karius deserves the reward for it. Also, Klopp needs the plaudits for managing the situation nicely and bringing the best out of his compatriot.