Liverpool are keeping tabs on 22 year old Atlanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello.
The 22-year-old has done well in the Italian league this season and according to the Daily Mail, manager Brendan Rodgers wants to secure the services of the shot-stopper.
Italian football insider Gianluca Di Marzio has reported that the Reds have been impressed with Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello – and have already started talks with the Serie A club.
The Anfield club have been linked with a number of goalkeepers including Neto, Petr Cech, Asmir Begovic and Jack Butland and latest reports indicate that the Reds want the Atlanta goalkeeper. Italian giants AC Milan as well as Inter Milan have also enquired about Sportiello and Atalanta are moving to extend the player’s contract until 2019.
Atalanta have struggled for large parts of this season, and they are currently just three points above the relegation zone. However, Sportiello remains one of the top performers in the club’s under-par season and has attracted interest from various clubs. According to Transfermarkt.uk, Sportiello has 25 appearances this season and has conceded 37 goals and has six clean-sheets to his name.
Simon Mignolet is in terrific form since returning to the side after being dropped in December. The Belgian has six clean sheets in the last eight games, which is an incredible feet especially considering his woeful form at the start of the season. However, Liverpool don’t have a good back-up goalkeeper- someone who can ensure competition for the 27 year old Mignolet. Rodgers obviously doesn’t want a condition where if he turns to his back-up goalkeeper, it hurts his team’s chances and Mignolet also requires competition to avoid complacency.
Liverpool’s recent success has been built on their defensive form and Mignolet has done very well since his return. However, the requirement of another goalkeeper hasn’t changed. If the Reds get Champions League football next season, they will need two good goalkeepers for four possible competitions. All top teams in the world currently have the services of two good goalkeepers and its value cannot be understated. Besides, even with Mignolet’s good form, Brendan Rodgers need to ensure a repeat of earlier this season doesn’t happen where Mignolet gets no competition and even if Northern Irishman decides to go the other way, he is not stuck with an under-par performer.