New Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet says he hasn’t joined the club to sit on the bench, casting further doubts over the future of Pepe Reina at Anfield.
Mignolet, the Belgian who arrived this week from Sunderland, is quoted in The Daily Mail:
“I’m not here to sit on the bench.”
“I had a very positive meeting with Brendan Rodgers before signing for Liverpool. I can’t say what we discussed, and whether there were any assurances about starting games. That’s between us, but it’s fair to say the purpose of this move is not so I can look on from the sidelines.”
“The idea, for sure, is that I will play. The aim for me is to have as good a season as I possibly can.”
Mignolet became the Reds most expensive keeper, signing for an initial £9m this week. Last weekend Brendan Rodgers insisted that Reina was fully aware of his plans and that Mignolet was arriving to provide competition within the squad.
The next day Reina welcomed Mignolet, saying that he was “happy and comfortable in Liverpool.”
However, widespread reports have suggested the Spaniard will return to Barcelona, where he began his career, as a replacement for the outgoing Victor Valdes – either this summer or next summer.
Club captain Steven Gerrard said yesterday “It is going to be an interesting one, we are going to have to keep our eye on it.
“I know Pepe won’t give up the No.1 one without a fight.
“I have experienced him in top, top form and I think on his day he’s in the top five keepers in the world so it’s going to be an interesting one to keep the eye on.”
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