Jurgen Klopp includes Alisson in Liverpool pre-season squad as Mignolet misses out

Posted Tuesday, July 31, 2018 by squawka.com

Jurgen Klopp has included new signing Alisson in Liverpool's pre-season training camp in France, but third-choice 'keeper Mignolet has been left at home.

The Reds will spend a few days training in France on the country's eastern coast before flying to Dublin on Saturday where they will take on Napoli at the Aviva Stadium.

Alisson, who arrived at the club for a world-record fee for a goalkeeper will be available between the sticks, as will his compatriot Roberto Firmino who rejoins with the squad after his summer break.

It has been reported that Mignolet was never going to make it to the training session, so here's absence doesn't necessarily reflect any movement on the transfer front.

Mignolet was the Reds' first-choice 'keeper at the beginning of last season, but was dropped in favour of Loris Karius in January after a dip in form.

Karius performed well in the league after replacing the Belgian, securing 10 clean sheets in 19 appearances and averaged two saves per goal, 1.05 more saves per goal than Mignolet.

However, even if Karius had not made those errors in the Champions League final, Jurgen Klopp confirmed earlier this week that the club still would have pursued Alisson.

"If we had won the final and Alisson had been on the market we would have gone for him because we think he is the goalkeeper we want," Klopp told the Express.

"The other goalkeepers are really good, like our midfielders. It doesn't mean we tell Fabinho: 'Sorry, we already have good players we don't need you'.

"We bring in another one because we think we can make the next step like with Naby [Keita]. We do it and it's the job."

Liverpool have less than a fortnight to prepare for their opening game of the new Premier League season. They play West Ham United on August 12 at Anfield, but not before facing Napoli on August 4.