Newcastle United have been linked with a move for ex-Liverpool shot stopper Loris Karius after he departed Anfield earlier this summer. The German goalkeeper is reportedly on the verge of signing a short-term deal with the Magpies, following an injury to Karl Darlow in training.
There's no timeline on when the current Magpies number two will return, but the impending arrival of 29-year-old Karius would suggest Darlow will be ruled out until the new year. A Champions League finalist in 2018 with the Reds, two mistakes in the final in Kyiv would ultimately cost him his Liverpool career.
ChronicleLive spoke with Liverpool Echo reporter Mark Wakefield for an insight into what Loris Karius might bring to Newcastle.
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Karius was number one when he arrived from Mainz, how did he fare when he first arrived?
Mark Wakefield: "Karius arrived with a fair amount of excitement. He was one of Jurgen Klopp’s first new signings in 2016, for a fee of £4.7million, and the fact he was a goalkeeper only added to the excitement. After having Simon Mignolet for a few years, there was a lot of hype around having someone new between the posts.
"The season before his move to Anfield, Karius was voted the second best goalkeeper in the Bundesliga with Mainz. Having also been on the books at Manchester City earlier in his career, it’s fair to say fans were excited by his arrival.
"He took a while to settle into the team at Anfield. Klopp often alternated between Karius and Mignolet, and it was pretty much the case until Alisson Becker arrived two years later."
Has he any standout attributes or redeeming qualities that Newcastle can expect?
MK: "Having not actually seen him in action for more than four years, it’s hard to say exactly. He himself hasn’t played a first-team match of any nature since February 2021, so he probably isn’t the same player he was when he last wore a Liverpool shirt.
"From memory, he isn’t afraid to be a sweeper keeper and charge off his line to win the ball. Sometimes it worked in his favour, sometimes it didn’t.
"When it came to shot-stopping, he was fairly decent most of the time, barring the Champions League final in Kyiv , of course. One of his most memorable moments probably came in February 2018 against Tottenham Hotspur. In a 2-2 draw, Karius saved a penalty from Harry Kane at the Kop end at Anfield.
"At the time the England striker had a near-perfect record from the spot, and he did actually score that night with another penalty, but this was still a big moment for Karius."
The Champions League final against Real Madrid seemed like the beginning of the end of his Liverpool career. Is that a fair assessment?
MK: "In a word, yes. That game was a bad night for Karius, but it must be remembered that he did suffer a concussion during the match, which was only discovered later on. Throughout that summer, pretty much all the noises coming from the club indicated they were going to stick with Karius and not bring in a replacement.
"However, that changed when a deal was struck with Roma for the signing of Alisson. He ended up joining Besiktas on a two-year loan a few weeks later, and that was pretty much it for him at Liverpool."
He ended up having loans away from the club, how did he fare in those?
MK: "As mentioned before, Karius signed for Besiktas for a two-year loan in 2018. However, he didn’t fulfil the full length of the deal after his contract was terminated in May 2020 after a dispute over unpaid wages.
"He then moved to Union Berlin on loan that summer. That was meant to be a fresh start for the keeper, even more so considering he was heading back to his homeland. Just the five appearances would follow after his move to the German capital, though.
"However, a permanent move would never transpire. In the end, he would return to Liverpool and see out the final year of his contract without making an appearance
"Karius’ final appearance for the club ended up being the infamous 2018 Champions League final in Kyiv."
Is it a surprise to see him stay in the Premier League after his release?
MK: "There is no doubt a talented goalkeeper there with Karius, he just needs to find the right home to settle and find his feet again. Liverpool saw the talent in him in the first place, and it’s still there to be harnessed, even though it’s been dormant for the past few years.
"His style is suited to the Premier League. Now that he’s a few years older and more experienced, maybe he is more suited to the English top flight.
"Only time will tell if the scars of the Champions League final from four years ago are still having an effect. On a personal level, he certainly deserves to be playing top flight football once again.
"If it’s at Newcastle it would be a shame that he wouldn’t get a return to Anfield this season, with that fixture already being played."
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