Liverpool set to complete free transfer of former West Ham keeper Adrian to replace outgoing Simon Mignolet
Liverpool are set to sign Adrian, the former West Ham goalkeeper, to replace Simon Mignolet and provide the experience cover they need.
Mignolet, the Belgium international, said his goodbyes to Liverpool’s squad at Wembley last night before heading to Luton airport to take a private jet to Brussels. He will join Club Bruges on a long-term deal and will make his debut in Champions League tomorrow night.
It was imperative that Liverpool moved quickly to find an understudy for Alisson Becker and it was decided that Adrian, who was a favourite during his time at Upton Park, had the perfect profile.
Adrian is a free agent and had been scheduled to have talks with Real Valladolid today about a permanent move.
However, the opportunity to join Liverpool has proven attractive and he will now travel to Merseyside to complete the deal. Liverpool took Andy Lonergan, the former Middlesbrough and Preston goalkeeper, on their pre-season tour to the United States but he was never considered for a long-term role.
Mignolet played an important role day-to-day in terms of putting pressure on Alisson and his team-mates recognise that Mignolet has never allowed his standards to drop or mood to change. He never hid his ambition to be a consistent No1 again and the offer from Bruges was too good to reject.
Liverpool had been in negotiations with the Belgians during the past week and are likely to receive a fee in the region of £6million, with add-ons, for the 31-year-old.