Who is Loris Karius? Q&A with Alex Chaffer
It looks like Loris Karius will become a Liverpool player in the very near future, but who exactly is the young goalkeeper?
I spoke to journalist Alex Chaffer, who covers the Bundesliga for the likes of Sky Sports and Four Four Two to get the lowdown on Liverpool’s potential new number one.
What are your general thoughts on Liverpool looking to sign Loris Karius? Are they getting a good deal?
I’m personally excited for Karius about this deal. He is joining a huge club in Liverpool and will be playing alongside some of the best players in England. In terms of price, Liverpool have earned themselves a complete bargain. Karius is one of the Bundesliga’s most exciting young goalkeepers.
What would you say are Karius’ main strengths as a goalkeeper?
Karius’ main strengths are his ability to command his area, his voice and his agility. I would hesitate to describe him as a sweeper-keeper, however, his speed off the line and confidence in closing down opponents and playing with the ball at his feet show he could become one in the future. He is strong in the area and is an assured penalty saver.
How about any weaknesses in his game?
Karius often lets himself down with his positioning, or exiting his penalty area at the wrong times. However these are areas that can be trained. He is an enormously confident individual and his confidence in his own ability will be able to help remove these weaknesses over time.
Do you think he’d win any potential positional battle against Simon Mignolet?
I am concerned at whether he can cement a first-team place. He will have a strong battle with Simon Mignolet for the starting position, but with age and desire on his side, I am still confident he will succeed in the Premier League.
There are a lot of good young goalkeepers in Germany at the minute, how does Karius compare to them?
It depends a lot, of course, on personal preference, but I see Timo Horn as the Bundesliga’s best young goalkeeping prospect, ahead of Karius. The likes of Roman Bürki and Bernd Leno have already earned big moves, and now Karius, too. I see Karius as the next best, behind Horn