According to Daily Mail, Bournemouth have been linked with Liverpool shot-stopper Simon Mignolet, who is expected to head for the exit door at Anfield this summer after making only a couple of appearances for the Reds in domestic cup competitions this season.
Bournemouth, however, are not the only team to have been linked with the Belgian stopper, with Watford and newly-promoted Norwich City are also monitoring his situation closely. (h/t Daily Mail)
However, the Daily Mail understands that Liverpool would only let Mignolet depart if their £15 million asking price is met, with Jurgen Klopp determined to get a good price for his former No.1.
It is understood that Watford want to invest in a younger and more reliable shot-stopper, with Ben Foster, 36, and Heurelho Gomes, 38, nearing the end of their careers. Norwich, on the other hand, are looking for an alternative to current No.1 Tim Krul following the Dutchman’s shaky displays between the sticks in the Championship this past season.
Mignolet joined Liverpool from Sunderland back in 2013 and almost went on to win the Premier League in his very first season at Anfield under the stewardship of Brendan Rodgers.
The 31-year-old retained his position as Liverpool’s undisputed No.1 for four seasons before sharing the goalkeeping duties with Loris Karius in the previous campaign.
However, he has cut an isolated figure on the bench following the arrival of Alisson last summer and a move away from Merseyside would probably be in the best interests of his career.
To put things into perspective, Simon Mignolet is just 31 and he still has plenty to offer at the highest level, meaning that he would possibly be a very good signing for either of the aforementioned clubs.
However, Bournemouth should look to try and win the race for the Belgian this summer in a bid to put a full stop to their goalkeeping woes.
The Cherries have already set the ball rolling in the summer transfer window with the signing of England U21 left-back Lloyd Kelly from Bristol City. While reinforcements in other areas of the pitch are likely to be on Eddie Howe’s mind, the manager should also prioritise the signing of a reliable shot-stopper.
Bournemouth conceded as many as 71 goals in the Premier League this past season, with Fulham and Huddersfield Town being the only other teams to have shipped more goals.
Hence, it is a no-brainer that the Cherries cannot afford to rely on the likes of Asmir Begovic and Artur Boruc, who is going to turn 40 next season. Begovic has looked way too shaky between the sticks in the Premier League this season and he certainly deserves a lion share of the blame for the club’s poor defensive record.
According to Sofascore stats, the Bosnian has committed 5 major errors that have led to goals, which should prompt the club to look for a replacement.
Irish youngster Mark Travers impressed on his Premier League debut in the 1-0 victory over Spurs and while he is likely to be in the mix for a place in the first-team next season, the Cherries need an experienced shot-stopper to plug the gap.
Mignolet has made 204 appearances for Liverpool over the course of 6 years and £15 million for him is reasonable enough, given that the likes of Alisson and Kepa earned mega-money moves to the Premier League last summer.
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Mignolet didn’t feature at all in the Premier League this season but he is still very much capable of playing in English football, and for Bournemouth, he could be an absolute gem of a signing.