Liverpool have completed the signing of former Arsenal goalkeeper Alex Manninger on a one-year deal.
The 39-year-old – who spent last year at Augsburg as back-up goalkeeper – joins the club after a trial period.
He is expected to become the Reds third-choice stopper, deputizing for Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius when needed after Adam Bogdan and Danny Ward sealed loan moves away from the club.
Manninger told the club’s official website, “Honestly, it was a surprise. After these years, in Italy and the last four years in Germany, I hadn’t given up, I hadn’t said “that’s it”, I still waited for the phone call.
“When Liverpool was on the phone, it was a great pleasure for me to take it on because it gives me what I was looking for. This is the moment I was waiting for until the end.
“I’ve still got something left for sure, but obviously it’s probably not the time for me to push for the next three or four years to get a place in the goal.
“If i’m called up, i’m definitly there for games, I will play. And i’ll definitly be there in the changing rooms giving my input. I hope, even if it’s only a couple of per cent, it will do the rest.”
Manninger has earned 34 caps for his native Austria during his career and won the Premier League with Arsenal in 1998.
He has flown to the US for the club’s pre-season tour and is likely to replace academy goalkeeper Shamal George until Simon Mignolet returns from holiday.
