Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius is wanted by Hertha Berlin, with the two clubs’ “good working relationship” likely to lead to a smooth transfer according to reports.
The German stopper has cut short his two-year loan at Besiktas after the Turkish club failed to pay wages, though he will not return to Liverpool.
He has two years left on his deal but the Reds are planning without him, given Alisson‘s undisputed status as first choice and the number of alternative options open to Jurgen Klopp.
Hertha have 35-year-old veteran Rune Jarstein as their current first-choice goalkeeper, a serviceable player but obviously not a particularly long-term option, so Karius is a sensible succession choice for the Berlin club.
Neil Jones of Goal.com says the two clubs have excellent links after the two-year loan stay that Marko Grujic has enjoyed at the German side, and Hertha are now keen to bring in Karius, too.
No fee is mentioned, but it’s worth noting that Hertha have begun to spend big in recent times, being vocal and determined about their plans to re-establish themselves as one of the forces in the Bundesliga.
Recent purchases include Matheus Cunha (€15m) from Leipzig and Krzysztof Piatek (€27m), so there should be reason to feel Liverpool could still achieve somewhere near the fee of up to £9m that the Reds hoped to land from Besiktas originally.
Grujic, meanwhile, could yet be sold or retained by the Reds this summer depending on the financial landscape of the football world, says Jones.
Though Hertha are thought to be front-runners, “a number of” other clubs are also said to be interested in signing Karius, who will almost certainly now look to continue his career back in his homeland.
Grujic’s current side are 10th in the league, having restarted with back-to-back wins in the post-coronavirus restart under the new management of Bruno Labbadia.
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