Simon Mignolet has revealed that he left Liverpool because he didn’t feel he could fight Alisson for the No.1 shirt.
Belgian keeper Mignolet departed the Reds to join Club Brugge, where he has played 20 times already this season, in the summer for £6.4million having spent six years at Anfield.
Mignolet joined from Sunderland in 2013 and was the Reds’ first choice shot stopper for his first three seasons before Loris Karius and then Brazilian Alisson challenged and overtook him.
Alisson, who arrived from Roma in 2018, has been one of the main reason’s behind Liverpool’s success – with Jurgen Klopp’s side becoming a difficult side to score against.
(Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)
And Mignolet has admitted that he had to depart Merseyside due to Alisson’s dominance, with Adrian also arriving this summer.
“If I could really fight for my place, I might have stayed. But if I had ended up in goal if Alisson picked up injury, I would be allowed to push ten shots out of the box,” Mignolet told Het Belang van Limburg (via Sport Witness).
“Then Alisson could immediately claim his place again. And even if he pushed the ball into his own goal, he would still retain [his place in the starting XI]. What sense did it make for me?”
(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool are top of the Premier League, and boast an eight point lead over second placed Leicester , and nine points to last year’s champions Manchester City .
But despite the huge successes which appear to be on the horizon at Anfield, Mignolet doesn’t regret leaving the club.
“No, because I knew that the opportunity existed. I haven’t thought once: ‘S**t, now Liverpool is in the Premier League race and I’m gone.’
“Of course, I could have stayed with Liverpool to earn my money, challenge for the league title and the Champions League,” Mignolet said.
“However, as long as you are not on the starting XI yourself, a price feels different. So I would rather play in the starter at Club Brugge than grabbing the English title as a substitute at Liverpool.”
