Under-fire Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet vows to become a leader after signing new deal

SIMON MIGNOLET vowed to become a leader after Liverpool displayed their faith in the under-fire goalkeeper by agreeing a new contract that will run until 2021.

 

Simon Mignolet signed a new five-year deal at Liverpool keeping at the club until 2021

 

The Belgium international has come under renewed scrutiny for his performances this season and the reasoning behind the lengthy extension was being openly debated among supporters last night. Liverpool may consider the new five-and-a-half-year deal protects Mignolet's market value, yet his previous contract was only due to expire in the summer of 2018.

Mignolet overlooked the furore and insisted his best years are ahead of him, saying: "I know signing a new contract comes with new responsibility.

 

"I'm getting older as well and coming into the years where people would say those are the years a 'keeper is at his best.

"I know with a long-term contract, you get more responsibility - and I want to take up that role because I'm the sort of character that wants to be a leader, wants to speak in the dressing room and wants to help the defence.

"I'll try to work hard together with the goalkeeping coach and staff here, who are behind me and have given their confidence with a new contract.

 

"I would like to thank them for that - but you can't really do that with words, you have to do that with performances on the pitch. And that's what I'll try to show." Only Joe Hart, with 37, has kept more clean sheets in the Premier League than Mignolet (30) since he joined Liverpool in 2013, yet the goalkeeper continues to polarise opinion among.

Mignolet was unconvincing for two goals in Arsenal's 3-3 draw last week and Liverpool have conceded seven goals from corners this season which is the worst in the top flight and lead to 10 dropped points. However, he could not be blamed for Wayne Rooney's winning goal for Manchester United on Sunday.

The contract extension comes with Joe Allen having had no contact from the club despite entering the final 18-months of his deal. Jon Flanagan, Jordan Rossiter and Jerome Sinclair, a target for Watford, are all out of contract this summer and have been unable to agree new deals so far.