Reports: Liverpool identify €100m replacement for Simon Mignolet

What's the story?

Liverpool are wasting no time in getting the players they want this month. The Reds are set to receive huge money from Philippe Coutinho's sale and Jurgen Klopp has already decided to invest that in new players.

According to the Independent, Klopp wants to replace Simon Mignolet and has identified Jan Oblak, Atletico Madrid's keeper as the ideal signing.

Speaking to Marca, Oblak said, "I'm an Atletico player and I will be until the end of the season. After that, I don't know, we'll see. You never know. Sometimes things change from one day to the next. For now, I only talk about Atletico, where I'm happy."

In case you didn't know...

Oblak had admitted in the summer that he didn't know whether he would stay at the club beyond the current season. And since then, Arsenal and Liverpool have been keeping tabs on the player.

The Belgian international, Mignolet, signed a new 5-year contract with the Reds in January 2016 but is no longer Klopp's number 1 choice.

The Reds are also keeping tabs on Roma's goalkeeper, Alisson and Stoke City's Jack Butland.

Paris Saint-German are also interested in Oblak and could tempt him to move to France by offering more money at the end of the season.

The heart of the matter

Mignolet has not been Liverpool's best keeper so far and has cost the Reds some vital points this season. Klopp knows that to challenge for the various cups he is still in the race for, he needs a quality keeper and would like to replace the Belgian this month.

The no. 1 choice is Oblak. Klopp has just signed Virgil Van Dijk for a record fee of £75m and would have to once again break that record to land the Slovenian international.

The 24-year-old has a release clause of €100m and Klopp is looking to use the money that the club would get by selling Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona this month, to sign the Slovenian international.

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Author's take

Liverpool really need a quality keeper. The defence has looked shambolic at times this season but with the arrival of Van Dijk and Oblak, the damage can be reduced a lot.

Oblak has established himself as a fine goalkeeper in the last 3 years at Spain. He would no doubt be a quality signing for the Reds and a huge boost for Klopp.