Hype is growing around the German goalkeeper following his superb display in Schalke’s recent draw with Bayern Munich.

That game finished 0-0 but only thanks to Karius’ efforts, with one particularly fine save to deny Harry Kane making the headlines.

Now, with the international break just around the corner, he could be set for his redemption eight years on from his horror show for Liverpool in the Champions League final.

There’s plenty of focus on Germany’s goalkeeper position as Manuel Neuer has retired, leaving the spot open for the next number one.

Pundit praise

Sky Germany report that ‘suddenly’ there is the option of Karius as well. His performance against Bayern prompted several pundits to suggest him as a candidate.  Didi Hamann was the first to lavish him with praise.

“He’s the biggest trump card Schalke has. He exudes so much calm, is a monster of man, a hun,” he said.

“He plays with a calm and sovereignty, has seen a lot and has already played in some countries – I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays a role.”

Lothar Matthäus, meanwhile, has insisted that the former Liverpool goalkeeper has pushed the door wide open.

“Performances like today’s certainly help to open the door wider,” he said.

“As far as I know, Loris Karius holds a German passport. And anyone who holds a German passport. If someone plays the way Karius did today – and puts in a few more performances like that – they automatically step into the spotlight.”

Playing it cool for now

Karius, for his part, is not focused on the conversation happening around him at this moment in time.

“To be honest, I don’t even think about that,” he emphasised to RUHR24.

The newspaper says he is happy playing in the Bundesliga with Schalke 04. The 33-year-old isn’t thinking about “having to put in an especially good goalkeeping performance to break into that circle.”

Instead, his full focus is on Schalke. For Karius, there is currently only one goal: “To bring my performance week after week.”

Liverpool redemption?

With that now happening, though, the conversation has turned to Germany and a potential return to the national team. For some, like Hendrik Buchheister, it’s just a reminder of how far the goalkeeper has come.

He was in attendance in Kiev for that terrible night for Liverpool and was left with nothing but a profound sense of sadness from the affair.

“It later emerged that Karius was playing with a concussion. But right after the whistle I knew: His Liverpool career is over, perhaps his career in top-level football overall,” he said.

“Karius went through tough times in the years after, as a footballer and personally. His mistakes haunted him, a quiet young man whose glamorous way of life always seemed like a protective shield.

“On Saturday I saw Karius again in the stadium, in the game of FC Schalke 04, for which he has been playing since the beginning of 2025. Karius was the hero against FC Bayern; with several parades he saved the surprising 0:0.

“Schalke’s football boss Youri Mulder brought him into the conversation afterwards for the national team, which is recently coached by Jürgen Klopp – of all people. Klopp was in charge of Liverpool in 2018 at the unfortunate final of Kiev.

“Loris Karius has worked his way up again from the very bottom. On Saturday, in the stands of the Schalke Arena, I was happy for him.”

The post Loris Karius on verge of proving Liverpool doubters and everyone wrong appeared first on Sport Witness.

Tuesday’s edition of Ekstra Bladet has an interview with the 63-year-old, where he mainly talks about Liverpool.

Liverpool legend responds to fans 

The former midfielder had a playing career between 1981 and 1998, of which 12 years were at Anfield.

Jan Mølby managed 58 goals and 39 assists from 289 matches and won three league titles with the Reds.

Over the past few years, he’s been commentating on Premier League matches and talking about Danish football. Earlier this year, he was critical of Thomas Frank. Mølby said he may no longer manage at the top level after his difficult spell at Tottenham Hotspur.

Speaking to Ekstra Bladet, he now makes his stance clear about fan accusations over Liverpool bias.

“It is something different when it is your own club, but I have never hidden the fact that I was not a Liverpool fan. I was an Arsenal fan, but I played almost 12 years in Liverpool and have lived in the city for 42 years. It is my club,” he said.

“That is why I can get a little irritated, which I may not do with the other clubs. It is great to see Forest play against Brentford, but Liverpool is different. I’m very involved. Even in the days after a defeat. Everywhere I go, people talk about it.”

“Lots of Danish Liverpool fans tell me that I’m a bit too critical sometimes, but I’d rather be that than just sit there and support Liverpool, and I don’t think I do that either.”

Manchester United fan interaction 

It’s not just Liverpool supporters who have been critical.

Jan Mølby talked about an interaction with a Manchester United fan who asked him to not commentate on Red Devils’ matches.

“A few years ago, I attended the Nordic Masters darts tournament, where I went on stage to present the prize,” Mølby explained.

“Afterward, a young man was standing there shouting, ‘Jan, Jan’.”

“He then said, ‘I just want to say one thing. Can’t you promise me that you won’t comment on Manchester United anymore?'”

“I’m sure there are many who’d like that, but I can’t promise that.”

The post “I get a little irritated” – Commentator addresses fan accusations of Liverpool bias appeared first on Sport Witness.

The goalkeeper has refused to give an insight into Liverpool’s detailed plan for him. Het Nieuwsblad relay his comments.

Liverpool man’s new reality 

The Premier League side’s plan was to utilise him as Alisson Becker’s deputy. This didn’t take shape because Giorgi Mamardashvili didn’t leave Anfield in the summer window.

This saw Genk, who collected around €35m for the stopper, secure his return for another season.

The decision immediately paid off as Lucca Brughmans impressed in KRC Genk’s goalless draw against Anderlecht and was man of the match.

“I am happy that I could help the team. The defenders help me and I help them. It is always a collective effort,” he said.

The past few days have been productive for Lucca Brughmans as he secured a move to the Merseyside club. Genk manager Jess Thorup said his the player’s life has changed with the latest agreement with Liverpool.

However, the 18-year-old wants to stay focused on the task in hand at the Jupiler Pro League side.

“I mainly stayed grounded. During that free weekend, I lived in a dream for three days, but after the signing, I flew back and returned to reality. I immediately switched gears to be back with my team,” Brughmans explained.

Liverpool man has long-term goal 

The Belgium U19 international is refusing to share details of his discussion with Liverpool or about their detailed plan for him. His long-term vision is to be the Reds’ No.1.

“I am not going to lay Liverpool’s plan on the table in its entirety, although the intention is to become their first-choice goalkeeper in the long term.”

“I will do everything I can to achieve that, step by step. That is why I am back in Genk now and want to achieve the highest possible with the team here,” he added.

The first step to achieve his goal is by impressing for Genk this season.

Lucca Brughmans says the Anfield club’s officials will be in regular contact and follow his performances while on loan this season.

“The coaches are in contact with each other regarding my physical condition, for example. Liverpool also comes to watch my matches. It is good that I can learn from both sides,” the goalkeeper said.

On the €35m price tag, Lucca Brughmans said: “I leave those figures to the professionals. I have good people around me who keep my feet on the ground.”

The post “I’ll do everything for that” – Player wants Liverpool future, won’t share transfer secrets appeared first on Sport Witness.

The 23-year-old’s agent, Srđan Lakić, initially wanted to take him to a surprise club before his move to Mestalla.

Lakić was the guest on Gol.hr‘s podcast, Off the Record, where he talked about his wish to take the Liverpool player to Dinamo Zagreb.

Failure to take Liverpool player to Croatia 

Roof manages Harvey Elliot, and Srđan Lakić is one of the representatives of the agency. He worked on the operation that took the winger to Valencia.

Prior to that, the agent wanted to take the Liverpool owned player and Giovanni Reyna to Dinamo Zagreb. The latter left Borussia Dortmund for RC Strasbourg last month.

Viking FK overcame the Croatian club in the qualifiers to make it to the group stage of the Champions League. This defeat partly played a role in Dinamo Zagreb’s failure to sign the English attacker.

“I have to admit, a lot of work was done. I’m part of a large agency that represents a lot of significant players. I have participated in many transfers that are not officially under my primary responsibility,” he said.

“For example, I can mention that I worked on Giovanni Reyna’s transfer to Dinamo, who really wanted to sign him, but in the end, he chose Strasbourg.

“Also, my idea was for Harvey Elliott to come to Dinamo, especially if the Blues qualify for the Champions League, but he ultimately went to Valencia. I was also involved in that deal.”

Liverpool man wanted Valencia 

In the summer, Harvey Elliot returned to Anfield, after a disappointing loan spell at Aston Villa.

He wasn’t part of Andoni Iraola’s core plans this season. Therefore, the Reds man went on loan to Valencia, who are covering part of his salary.

There were several other unnamed clubs willing to cover his full salary and Liverpool were in favour of these clubs over Los Ches. However, Elliott pushed to join the La Liga side.

Last weekend, the Liverpool attacker made his Valencia debut in their 5-0 defeat to Barcelona.

The post “My idea was…” – Agent tried to take Liverpool player to surprise club in summer appeared first on Sport Witness.

Sport cover the move to Liverpool and his initial weeks at Anfield.

Salary reduction to secure Liverpool move 

The centre-back wasn’t happy with his final months at Barcelona and had an opportunity to leave the Camp Nou in the summer.

He wanted to join a top club where he can regain the starting spot. Barca wanted the club to cover his full salary if it was a loan move.

Liverpool fit Barcelona and the Uruguay international’s requirements, and he took a 10-20% pay cut to secure a loan move to Anfield.

The Merseyside club contacted his agent at the start of August. A 20-minute call with Andoni Iraola convinced the Barcelona man. This allowed them to complete the operation in a matter of days.

Last month, Sport Witness covered a report from Spain explaining that the Reds secured a €55m purchase option.

Liverpool and Araújo happy

Sport says the defender is happy with his decision to join the Premier League side. He and his family are living close to the club’s training centre so that he can quickly adapt to his new life in England.

The Spanish-speaking players are also helping him settle in at the club.

After making two substitute appearances in the league, Andoni Iraola started Ronald Araújo as a right-back in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Ipswich Town.

Having enjoyed a good start on the pitch, Liverpool ‘consider his arrival a real bargain’.

The newspaper states: ‘From day one, the former Barca player has found himself with a manager who is pushing him to the limit in training, who speaks with him daily, and who wants to take him to the highest level physically and mentally, but without overdoing it. He knows he’s coming off a calf injury and a spell at Barca where he didn’t play a prominent role.’

The early signs are positive. However, it might be early to predict Liverpool making the South American’s stay permanent next summer.

The post Liverpool believe they’ve secured ‘real bargain’ on €50m+ transfer next summer appeared first on Sport Witness.

The Englishman played a key role in the Nerazzurri’s thrilling 3-2 win over the Partenopei. They found themselves 2-0 down by the 60th minute but two late goals completed the comeback, with Jones’ ability around the final third playing an important part, as he came off the bench.

Sport Witness covered how manager Cristian Chivu had been keen on a move for the player since January. His constant push had been decisive, as Liverpool earned €35m from the sale.

The midfielder himself has now confirmed the same.

Curtis Jones settling in well

After the win, Jones spoke to DAZN about Chivu’s role in the transfer. He revealed the Romanian is the big reason he joined Inter.

The Englishman said – via FCInterNews: “I don’t want to reveal too much. There’s a reason I’m here: the calls we made, how the team plays, his ideas, and how he works every single day. Little things he says, which may seem small but have a huge impact. Plus, he’s experienced and has played too.”

He also praised Chivu’s approach, as he appears very close to his players.

“He’s one of us, and that, in my opinion, is crucial. He’s passionate, he loves this game deeply, just like me. And that’s why he’s leading a team like this, and he’s doing a great job.”

During the post-game press conference, Jones also spoke about his life in Milan.

He said – via FuoriGioco: “I’m having a lot of fun; the staff and teammates are fantastic. I get along well with everyone. I wanted to be part of this group and I want to prove it on the pitch whenever I get the chance.”

Settled environment will help

As things stand, Inter are the most stable club in Italy. They have a very defined identity and recruit on the basis of that. This will make it easy for Jones to settle into life in Italy, especially as the squad has several English speaking players.

The next few weeks will be key for the 26-year-old in establishing himself. Games will come thick and fast, with Inter taking on Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Chivu will rotate his squad and that is when Jones will have a chance to become a regular.

The post “There’s a reason I’m here” – Curtis Jones on thinking behind Liverpool exit appeared first on Sport Witness.

The 24-year-old will be an unexpected loss against Liverpool.

Why Ortiz is out of Liverpool match

The Spaniard spent his entire career in his own country until he moved to Śląsk Wrocław in 2024.

A year later, he returned to Spain when Los Rojiblancos signed him for their reserve team. In the summer, Diego Simeone promoted the 24-year-old to the first team, and he made three appearances so far.

The winger, who is yet to score or contribute an assist for Atlético Madrid, can’t make his Champions League debut against Liverpool.

He only played in the European competition with Śląsk Wrocław. In 2024, Arnau Ortiz played four UEFA Conference League qualifying matches for the Polish club.

The last match was in their 3-2 win over FC St. Gallen. The attacker received a yellow card for diving before receiving a second yellow and his marching orders for dissent.

Even though Śląsk Wrocław won this tie, they lost 4-3 on aggregate and failed to make it to the next round. Since the sending off, Ortiz didn’t feature in a European competition, meaning he hasn’t served his one-match suspension so far.

Unexpected suspension for Liverpool clash 

On Wednesday, Arnau Ortiz will serve his suspension for his sending off in August 2024. This will force him to miss the Champions League tie against Andoni Iraola’s side.

The Spanish giants will host Manchester United in the second group stage tie on October 13th. He can make his Champions League debut against the Red Devils if available for selection.

On Friday, Alexander Isak’s brace helped the Reds secure their first Premier League win of the season, after two draws. The Merseyside club will be looking to start the European run on a positive note with a win over Atlético Madrid.

Liverpool’s Champions League fixtures

• v Atlético Madrid [home] on September 9th
• v LASK [away] on October 14th
• v Villarreal [home] on October 20th
• v Fenerbahçe [away] on November 4th
• v Club Brugge [away] on November 25th
• v FC Porto [home] on December 9th
• v Inter Milan [away] on January 19th
• v RC Lens [home] on January 27th

The post Liverpool v Atlético Madrid: Unexpected loss as player to miss CL clash at Anfield appeared first on Sport Witness.

The young goalkeeper officially joined Liverpool this week in a €35m deal. He is, potentially, the long-term replacement for Alisson at Anfield.

Loan at Genk

For now, he’ll be spending the season with Genk to continue his development away from the limelight on Merseyside. But Thorup admits he may go one step further this season.

“Naturally, I’ve spoken to Lucca about his transfer,” he told Het Laatste Nieuws.

“We talked about the experience of going to Liverpool, and the involvement of his family and so on. Every player dreams of this, and suddenly – before you fully realise it – you’re right in the middle of it. You need a moment to let something like that sink in.”

“Of course, there’s a lot coming his way. He’s in the spotlight because of the fee involved. I’ll protect him at the right moments, because we mustn’t forget that the role of Genk’s first-choice goalkeeper is still quite new to him.”

“Steven Frederix (the goalkeeping coach) and I will assess match by match whether we need to give him a rest.”

Liverpool impact

For now, it appears that the youngster has not quite realised the grand scale of what has happened. But Thorup believes that may hit him in the coming weeks and months.

“Even though he’s only 18, I can see that he remains calm and focused,” he added.

“He’s already been back on the training pitch for a few days. The realisation that his life has changed will probably sink in sometime over the coming weeks.”

Thorup is also looking at the positives for Genk. He believes this move to Liverpool has only further proven that they’re a smart destination for young players.

“The signings of Lucca and Kos Karetsas (Dortmund) were particularly spectacular,” he concluded.

“The club deserves a pat on the back for that. It also sends a signal: at this club, young players can make strides and eventually reach the European elite.”

The post “Life has changed” – Player set for different life as transfer to Liverpool is secured appeared first on Sport Witness.

Liverpool’s €35m deal for Genk goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans is one that has been negotiated perfectly, with it suiting all the parties.

That’s the opinion of Johan Boskamp, who believes that the 18-year-old will be Belgium’s number one before too long.

Boskamp has been speaking to Het Belang van Limburg about the transfer, which was finalised this week. The youngster has joined Liverpool in a €35m deal but will spend the season on loan in Belgium.

Perfectly negotiated

The analyst believes Genk deserve praise for negotiating such a deal, particularly as it benefits the player.

“It’s a good thing. I think KRC Genk negotiated this brilliantly. They’re cashing in €35m and get to keep using him for another year,” Voetbal Focus report him saying.

“This is the best solution for Brughmans himself, too. At this age, he simply needs to play. That would have been difficult at Liverpool.”

What role Lucca Brughmans plays at Liverpool in future remains to be seen. Alisson is set to remain at Anfield for another season, but they already spent big on Giorgi Mamardashvili last summer as his long-term replacement.

Belgium’s big talent

Instead, the deal for Brughmans has brought the Georgian’s future into question. Boskamp certainly sees a content coming, as he predicts a big future for the youngster.

“Perhaps the greatest Belgian goalkeeping talent since Thibaut Courtois. He has everything: height, speed, and good footwork,” he added.

“€35m is a lot of money, but I do think Liverpool has made a good deal. I genuinely believe Brughmans will become the national team’s future goalkeeper.”

For now, the youngster’s focus will be on continuing to impress at Genk, where he’ll have another season to boost his development with regular playing time. Liverpool, meanwhile, can monitor him and decide their next steps ahead of next season.

It’s very much a win-win as far as Boskamp is concerned. In fact, he thinks it’s a rare deal in which every party has succeeded.

The post “Negotiated this brilliantly” – Liverpool deal perfect for everyone, player definitely worth it appeared first on Sport Witness.

De Telegraaf report on the forward and how he was denied the lucrative transfer that Liverpool had promised him ‘over the course of several weeks’.

€15m loss on salary

The newspaper states that it was so lucrative, Gakpo missed out on more than €15m over a five-year period. Manchester City were offering him ‘millions more per year’ to move to the Etihad.

The plan was for a deal worth over €100m, but the major concern was that Liverpool would be strengthening a rival. Gakpo was keen on the move and already agreed personal terms with City. The move would have marked ‘a major step up in his career’.

But Liverpool changed direction. De Telegraaf state that all signs points to a change in plans following the arrive of new co-owner and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. His consortium have the option to become majority shareholders in future.

Liverpool expectations

Now Gakpo has to refocus. Liverpool are expecting a top-class season from him, despite competition from Bradley Barcola, Victor Munoz and Rio Ngumoha.

Gakpo will be expected to cover for them in the early weeks, with Barcola unfit and expectations on the youngsters being played down. He already made his impact with a superb assist for Alexander Isak last weekend and a goal against Newcastle United on the opening weekend.

That would suggest his focus has not been affected. That’s despite a summer in which he was denied his big move, and a very big pay day to go alongside it.

Given he signed a new deal at Liverpool last year, and that runs until 2030, it is unlikely such a pay day will be coming from Liverpool anytime soon either. That’s, perhaps, something for the 27-year-old and his agent to put to the Reds in the coming weeks and months.

The post Liverpool player misses out on €15m personally after late transfer collapsed appeared first on Sport Witness.