Simon Mignolet, Liverpool Agree on New Contract: Latest Details and Reaction

Liverpool confirmed that goalkeeper Simon Mignolet signed a new "long-term" contract with the club on Monday, via a release. 

Liverpool also provided Mignolet's thoughts upon signing the new contract:

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“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 told Liverpoolfc.com upon signing the contract.

“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.

“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.”

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Mignolet was signed by former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers in the summer of 2013, and he has been Liverpool’s first-choice goalkeeper for the overwhelming majority of that spell. Now, new manager Jurgen Klopp seems keen to back the 27-year-old, whom he will be hoping to embolden with this new deal.

It’s fair to say this is a move that will trigger mixed reactions among the Liverpool fanbase, with Mignolet viewed as an inconsistent operator between the sticks.

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There’s no denying the former Sunderland man’s shot-stopping abilities. Behind a ropey defence, Mignolet has regularly bailed out the Reds with some excellent saves, and when it comes to getting to shots, there are few better in the division. However, there are some frailties in his game.

As WhoScored.com noted recently, for all of his natural ability, Mignolet is particularly error-prone:

The majority of these errors seem to come when the Belgian seeks to command his penalty area, with Liverpool suffering on multiple occasions this season following flaps at crosses from their goalkeeper. His decision-making and distribution also leave much to be desired when compared to the very best goalkeepers around.

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Liverpool author Tony Evans feels that if the Reds are to restore themselves at the summit of English football, an upgrade is needed in the goalkeeping position:

Klopp clearly has faith in Mignolet, though, as is evident by this new deal. The German will be hoping a renewed commitment will give the goalkeeper, who is still young in terms of the position, the momentum needed to push on and become a much more sure-footed presence at the base of the Liverpool team.

The cavalier style in which the Reds are going to play under Klopp means they will concede chances, and as such, they need a top-quality goalkeeper to get them out of trouble at times. Mignolet may not be at an elite standard currently, but it’s clear the club have plenty of faith their current stopper will eventually reach those levels.