Liverpool are strongly looking into immediate replacements for Loris Karius after the German’s horror show in the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League final. According to reports coming out of Italy, AC Milan’s Gianluigi Donnarumma is being considered by the Merseyside outfit for a €40-45m transfer.
The 19-year-old shot stopper is touted to be next in line behind the legendary Gianluigi Buffon to start in the Italian national team. He made a staggering 53 appearances for the Red and Blacks and already has been capped 6 times for Italy, 21 times for the youth sides.
Donnarumma’s relationship with the Serie A outfit got strained earlier in the 2017/18 season when he reportedly declined a contract extension earlier in the season. He was even reduced to tears after being greeted with boos and whistles at San Siro.
He is a cemented starter under Gennaro Gattuso but has had his fair share of disappointments in the Milan goal line. The mishap against Arsenal in the UEFA Europa League ended up costing his team in the competition and the one against Juventus in the Coppa Italia final.
But still, the Italian boasts of a promising future and is only 19-years-old. He has immense confidence in his abilities and is expected to be one of the best keepers in the world. A certain upgrade from the Reds shot-stopper who has disappointed on plenty of occasions in the past season.
The final on Saturday might just have been the last straw for him. The 24-year-old made two shocking errors to concede two goals, a simple misplaced pass which was connected by a lunging Karim Benzema and a feeble touch to Gareth Bale’s thumping effort from long distance.
Liverpool overcame every obstacle to reach the finals of the competition but were let down by the goalkeeper’s mistakes. The towering drop of Jurgen Klopp’s spirits showed in the post-game interview, after what was his 6th loss in a competition final. The Reds head coach said, “Loris Karius knows it, everybody knows it.”
“That is a shame in a game like this, in a season like this. I feel for him, he is a fantastic boy. The second mistake is because of the first one. I only had a few words with him afterwards but nobody wants those mistakes. We will deal with it and of course, we will be with him.”
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The time is now to put all sentiments behind them and to sign a competent head at the backline. Liverpool have a full squad after the surprise announcement of the Fabinho arrival from AS Monaco last night.
