The goalkeeper is back in his native Germany after ending a two-year loan spell with Besiktas but could soon be moving on in a permanent transfer.
Liverpool will demand £6 million ($7.7m) for Loris Karius with French outfit Montpellier keen on signing the out-of-favour goalkeeper.
The German has not played competitively for the Reds since the ill-fated Champions League final of 2018, when his errors handed Real Madrid victory in Kiev.
After a difficult pre-season, Karius was loaned to Besiktas ahead of the 2018-19 campaign, and spent the following two seasons with the Turkish giants.
![[FILE] Liverpool’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (L) runs with the ball as Arsenal’s Brazilian defender Gabriel closes in during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in London. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP)](https://www.afriupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/000_97B779-scaled-e1703231851386-120x86.jpg "Liverpool host Arsenal in battle for Premier League Christmas No. 1 1")
Besiktas paid an initial £2.25m ($2.7m) to loan him, with a £7.25m (£8.8m) fee agreed for a permanent transfer, had a number of performance-related criteria been met.
Karius made 67 appearances across his two years in Istanbul, and performed admirably for the most part, but his time was marred by a long-running dispute with the club over unpaid wages. He chose to terminate his contract in May, returning to his native Germany rather than linking up with Jurgen Klopp’s squad at Melwood.
The 27-year-old still has two years left to run on his Liverpool contract, though he has been informed he is free to find himself a new club this summer.
Hertha Berlin are among the clubs to have enquired, but it is Montpellier who have emerged as the new favourites to secure his signature.
The Ligue 1 side loaned Argentine shot-stopper Geronimo Rulli from Real Sociedad last summer and have the option to make that move permanent should they wish.
Liverpool’s demands could yet prove a sticking point, though. The Reds believe Karius is worth more than the £4.2m ($6m) they paid Mainz in 2016, but it remains to be seen how many clubs, if any, are willing to pay such a fee.
Karius, for his part, has stated publicly that he is not willing to leave Liverpool unless he is guaranteed regular first-team football.
“I will have to be playing if I actually change clubs,” he told Transfermarkt last month.
“It makes no sense to say I’m leaving Liverpool for a worse club and I’m only the number two there.
“I’m not in a pressured situation at all, I don’t have to change – as the second goalkeeper in England you know that you get chances.
“I am currently at the best club in the world, who are competing for titles, and I have the highest level around me every day in training.
“I am fully aware that I am in a good position to be at Liverpool. I have great conditions there.”
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