Australia goalkeeper Mat Ryan happy to be linked with a move to Liverpool

Australia’s Mat Ryan welcomes speculation linking him with a move to Liverpool

Canberra, Jan 16 (IANS) Australian goalkeeper Mat Ryan Friday said he is flattered to be linked with English Premier League club Liverpool, but feels his primary focus remains on the 2015 Asian Cup.

Reports out of England during the week have heavily linked Ryan with a move to Liverpool at the end of the season, reports Xinhua. It follows rumours that reigning European champions Real Madrid were after his signature earlier last year. However, despite the speculation, the 22-year-old remained coy about his future.

The Australian was the recipient of the Belgian Goalkeeper of the Year award for the second consecutive time Thursday following yet another impressive season with his current side, Club Brugge. However, how much longer he stays in Belgium remains to be seen.

"I spoke to my agent overnight, but he was just congratulating me on the award," Ryan told Fox Sports Australia Friday.

"We have a good understanding and he knows that I just like to focus on the football and, come Saturday, my mind will be on the job and hopefully another positive result. Hopefully, one day, it's definitely an ambition of mine to get to Germany, England, Spain or Italy. I've always had the mentality to work hard in the present and in the future, if it's meant to be, then it will sort itself out.”

"For now, I'll just continue to keep my head down and work hard and we'll see what happens."

The evening prior, in a joint press conference with Australian manager Ange Postecoglou, Ryan welcomed links with Liverpool and suggested a decision on his future will be made at the end of the current European season.

"With social media these days, it's pretty hard to ignore something like that," Ryan said.

"I have an agent who looks after that sort of stuff. My focus is here with the Socceroos and the game Saturday night. I had this sort of stuff during the World Cup with Real Madrid and I still don't know if that was true or not. Obviously it's nice to be associated with a club like that (Liverpool), but if it 's meant to be I guess it will happen in the future."