One of the top performers last season between the posts in the Premier League was Simon Mignolet, and because he played for Sunderland, you’d expect plenty of rumors circulating around him with offers from bigger clubs. After a short waiting period, Liverpool are the first to be mentioned with a transfer and offer, which isn’t very surprising.
The 25 year-old Belgian international is part of a young and very talented generation who has mostly found work in the Premier League over the last few years, which will probably take Belgium, finally, after so many years, to a major tournament (2014 Brazil World Cup) while getting some names mentioned among the world’s best in certain positions, like Eden Hazard and Vincent Kompany.
Mignolet isn’t the only talented Belgian keeper around, with Thibaut Courtois also garnering a lot of attention for plenty of clubs after two fantastic seasons for Atletico Madrid, but he is playing for a big club (belongs to Chelsea) which makes him a little less available. For Liverpool, who are looking to sell Pepe Reina once they find a decent replacement, Mignolet seems like a very good fit.
He won’t come with a too expensive price tag, The Mirror claiming Sunderland will be willing to part ways with him for around £6.5 million. He arrived at the club in 2010 from Saint-Truiden for £2 million, and despite being on contract till 2015, it’s hard to see the Black Cats being able to hang on to him for much longer after his fantastic form over the last couple of seasons.
Liverpool have been looking to offload Pepe Reina for quite some time, with Barcelona being rumored as the most likely potential destination, but it’s not going to happen before Brendan Rodgers is able to find himself a young and talented replacement, with Asmir Begovic of Stoke City, who will cost a lot more than Mignolet (but isn’t necessarily a better keeper), also being touted as a replacement for the Spaniard.