Mignolet has no regrets over Liverpool exit despite Alisson’s injuries

Simon Mignolet claims to have no regrets at having left Liverpool for Club Brugge in 2019, only to then see Alisson endure injury issues at Anfield and Jurgen Klopp’s side surge to the top of the Premier League table.

Having slipped down the pecking order on Merseyside, a Belgium international goalkeeper opted to head home after nine years in English football.

Six of those were spent at Liverpool, having been snapped up from Sunderland in 2013.

Mignolet took in 204 appearances for the Reds and formed part of the squad which tasted Champions League glory last season.

By then he was firmly stuck behind Brazilian star Alisson, with that standing ultimately edging him through the exits.

Minutes could have been found had the 32-year-old opted to stay put, with Adrian taking in 18 outings during the 2019-20 campaign, but Mignolet stands by his decision to move on.

He told the Liverpool Echo: "When I moved over to Belgium, the first couple of weeks, I was in a hotel and organising things, trying to move and the first time when Alisson got injured, I was in my hotel room, filling in some documents, when I suddenly realised that my phone had about 20 or 30 messages.

"I didn't know what had happened because I didn't have Sky in my room. So then I saw that Ali as unfortunately injured. At the same time, I knew that could be the case because he had come back from a long season with the Copa America and of course there is always a risk.

"I chose to leave not for that because even if I had played [in Adrian's place] 10 or 15 games, you know when Ali gets back with what he has proven and the level he is at, he will always go back to the starting XI.

"Even if you play 15 games and keep 15 clean sheets in an unbelievable manner, you would still go back to the bench and that is not the thing I wanted to do at the age of 32.

"I knew that was a scenario that could pan out, but I still would have made the same decision I did today."

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While Mignolet endured a frustrating end to his time with Liverpool, he is proud to have represented the club and to have left on the highest of European highs.

He added: "I had an unbelievable time.

"First it was like a great gift to me, I would say, to represent the club as big as Liverpool that is supported all over the world.

"When I arrived Liverpool was not in the same shape or position that it is today. When I arrived, the idea was to fight at the top of the Premier League and Europe and when I left, that is the position they are in.

"Probably now, Liverpool is the best club in Europe.

"I joined and I was there in the whole process of building the club to what it is now, so it was an unbelievable experience for me, personally to be part of that.

"Like I said, I thank the club for everything they did for me, the supporters I had and the games I played in. In my time, I played a lot games and I was proud to represent the club every time I did.

"We had some great moments there and to win the Champions League before I left the club was the icing on the cake."