Besiktas managed Senol Gunes has slammed Liverpool loanee Loris Karius following a string of mistakes by the German keeper and has also revealed that he would replace him if he could. In a recent interview (via the Mirror), the Besiktas boss stated that he is only playing Karius as the club’s veteran goalie, Tolga Zengin was unavailable and said, “He was at fault for the goals he conceded,”
“Karius has gone a bit stagnant, something is wrong with his electricity, motivation, enthusiasm for the game.
“It has been like that since the beginning. He does not really feel a part of the team, it’s something we haven’t been able to work out and, of course, I am partly to blame for this.
“Something is wrong, he has also been unlucky. [He] is talented but it hasn’t worked out and we have a problem. Let me put it this way, if I still had Tolga available I would play him.”
Gunes’ recent words would be alarming for Liverpool as their keeper seems to have gotten worse after making a loan switch to the Turkish club last summer. The German shot-stopper failed to prove his worth at Anfield last season and was one of the main reasons why Liverpool lost the UEFA Champions League final. His blunder against Real Madrid saw him in tears after the final whistle had gone in that match which indicated that his career at the Merseyside club could be coming to an end.
However, Klopp decided to loan him to Besiktas at the beginning of this season hoping that Karius would be able to come back stronger. However, based on Gunes’ recent words, it is safe to say that things have not gone according to plan.
Even if there was a slight chance for Karius to prove his worth at Anfield once again, it is now gone as his performances are clearly not up to the mark. His tendency to make high-profile errors has been detrimental for Besiktas in recent weeks.
Hence, the Reds would be better of parting ways with their German keeper when he returns from his loan spell at Besiktas in the summer of 2020. Jurgen Klopp is trying to build a dynasty at Anfield, and the harsh truth remains that Karius is not a reliable keeper at the back.
Maybe a move to a mid-table team might help him build his confidence back but all signs point towards the fact that it is the end of the road for his Liverpool career.
