Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has backed the club's new signing Loris Karius to displace Simon Mignolet as the number one goalkeeper at Anfield.
The 22-year-old signed a five-year contract in a deal worth £4.7m on Tuesday and quickly outlined his intention to earn a starting berth ahead of Mignolet.
Karius has already claimed the number one jersey at the club, and Hamann believes that he will start next season as Jurgen Klopp's first choice too.
"Germany has a history of outstanding goalkeepers, and Karius is clearly very talented, but playing for Mainz and playing for Liverpool are two different things," he told talkSPORT.
"His task now is to make that step up to the next level. I was a bit surprised when I saw the photos that he has been given the number one shirt...but I think he will start the season as Liverpool's number one goalkeeper.
"Klopp said in a press conference that he wants someone to challenge Mignolet, and the fact he has the number one shirt makes me believes he will start the season in goal. Something could happen, he might not hit the ground running. But I think something extraordinary has to happen in pre-season for Mignolet to keep goal in the first game."
Karius, who joined from Mainz, was voted as the second best goalkeeper in the Bundesliga last season, behind only Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer.
Barney Corkhill
