Forget Mignolet – Liverpool should sign this 19-year-old sensation as an ideal back-up player for Karius

Why Andriy Lunin Would Be A Brilliant Back-up For Loris Karius At Liverpool

According to the Daily Mirror, Liverpool are leading the race for signing Zorya Luhansk’s young goalkeeper, Andriy Lunin.

The 19-year-old has impressed since joining Zorya from Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk last year, helping his new club secure Europa League qualification for next season. The youngster has been earning rave reviews this season and has been a regular at Zorya this season, making 34 appearances in all competitions.

The 6ft 3in shot-stopper made his full international debut in March in a 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia. Such has been Lunin’s meteoric rise in a year that the Reds are keen to acquire his signature at the end of the season.

Jurgen Klopp has faced goalkeeping conundrum for the last couple of years despite thoroughly using both Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius.

Mignolet has dished error-strewn displays between the sticks that has seen him lose his position this season to Karius. At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if Mignolet chooses to leave the club this summer.

Speaking about Karius, the German, after a tough start to life at Anfield, looks settled and seems to be growing in confidence with every passing game. Karius has made the No.1 spot his own after some impressive displays in both the Premier League and the Champions League. The 24-year-old has started each of the team’s past 19 matches, keeping 10 clean sheets during that period.

Karius’ good run of form in goal has earned him a lot of admirers, with manager Jurgen Klopp hinting that the 24-year-old could continue to be the club’s No.1 next season. Despite the goalkeeping situation attaining a bit of stability lately, the Reds must look to sign Andriy Lunin next season.

Lunin is a sublime talent and is considered as one of the top goalkeeping prospects in European football. He has established himself as a regular starter at Zorya, both in the league and in European competition. His strong performances have not gone unnoticed as he continues to impress at one of the top clubs in Ukraine.

Not only at the club level, Lunin is knocking the door at the international level too, after making his debut in March. The 19-year-old is competing for the top spot in the national team. Challenging Andriy Pyatov in the national team at such a tender age is an outstanding achievement.

The Zorya goalkeeper is a raw talent and would only improve with time and experience. His shot-stopping abilities are really good but he needs to work on his distribution, which is understandable given that he is just 19.

To be fair, Liverpool must move for Lunin in summer. While Mignolet’s future remains unresolved, third-choice goalkeeper Danny Ward has made just a single appearance this season. Should Mignolet leave at the end of the season, Lunin would be ideal to replace the Belgian.

The sky is the limit for the 19-year-old Lunin and he has all the ingredients to be a success story at Anfield.