Napoli make contact with Liverpool to land keeper Simon Mignolet after Arsenal axe
Belgain international was dropped for comfortable win against the Gunners at Anfield on Sunday but Klopp insists he is still No1
LIVERPOOL keeper Simon Mignolet has become a target for Napoli.
The Serie A side have earmarked the Belgian as a potential replacement for former Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina who is being chased by Paris Saint-Germain.
Liverpool’s No 1 was dropped and replaced by Loris Karius for the thumping win over Arsenal on Sunday.
Jurgen Klopp insisted Mignolet was rested and will play at Manchester City after the international break.
The Liverpool boss said: “Intensity for a goalkeeper is different, it is not physical, it is mental.
"We said before the season we wanted to have three really strong ones.
“Simon is a clear number one, he won the race in pre-season, you can always rely on him, he is solid – a machine, 100 per cent he plays against City."
But that has not stopped Napoli checking on the keeper’s availability with a few days left of the transfer window.
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Despite his keeper rotation, Klopp still has total faith in his first-choice keeper and is unlikely to sanction a switch to Italy.
Kop legend Graeme Souness on pundit duties for Sky Sports at Anfield, thinks Mignolet's axing was not a case of him being “rested” by Klopp.
He said: “It’s not something I’ve heard or seen before, two league games in, I’m not sure if resting is the right term.
“For me, unless he’s had an injury or an argument, I think it has to be that he really doesn’t fancy Mignolet that much and he’s going to get Karius up to speed just in case, or when he has to start using him.
Souness added: “So it’s four games for a goalkeeper, four games where he’s had to concentrate, physically it’s not demanding, but you have to be concentrated.
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Despite not having a save to make against a poor Gunners outfit, Karius still looked uncomfortable and gave the home fans some nervy moments.
The 24-year-old making his first appearance of the campaign was closed down twice by Danny Welbeck as he dawdled on the ball and then was nearly caught out by of all people Mesut Ozil.