Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet signs new contract extension until 2021

Simon Mignolet has signed new five-year deal at Liverpool
The Belgian goalkeeper has been criticised by some sections of Anfield
Jurgen Klopp has consistently backed the 27-year-old stopper

Published:
17:04 GMT, 18 January 2016

|
Updated:
17:17 GMT, 18 January 2016

View
comments

Simon Mignolet has signed a new contract extension at Liverpool keeping him at Anfield until at least 2021.

The Belgium international has come under-fire this season and speculation had been rife that Jurgen Klopp could look to replace him.

But the German has kept faith with the 27-year-old and offered him improved terms on his previous deal.

Simon Mignolet has signed a new deal at Liverpool keeping him at Anfield until at least 2020

Jurgen Klopp has kept faith in the Belgium international despite the keeper coming in for criticism

Liverpool are ninth in the Premier League table

It’s been far from easy for Mignolet, who joined the club for £9millon from Sunderland in 2013, as he struggled in his early days at Anfield.

He made a mistake during the draw with West Brom back in December, prompting Klopp to come out and publicly support him.

‘I’m very pleased that I can be at Anfield and a part of Liverpool for a long future. I’m happy to commit my future to LFC,’ Mignolet, 27, told Liverpoolfc.com.

‘I know signing a new contract comes with new responsibility. I’m getting older as well and coming into the years where people would say those are the years a ‘keeper is at his best.

It’s been far from easy for Mignolet, who joined the club for £9millon from Sunderland in 2013

Mignolet recorded more Premier League clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in 2015

SIMON MIGNOLET’S SEASON SO FAR

Premier League appearances: 21

Clean sheets: 7

‘I know with a long-term contract you get more responsibility – and I want to take up that role because I’m the sort of character that wants to be a leader, wants to speak in the dressing room and wants to help the defence.

‘I’ll try to work hard together with the goalkeeping coach and staff here, who are behind me and have given their confidence with a new contract.

‘I would like to thank them for that but you can’t really do that with words, you have to do that with performances on the pitch and that’s what I’ll try to show.’

Stoke’s Jack Butland and Cologne’s Timo Horn have both been linked with a move to Anfield but the Liverpool boss has firmly denied these reports.