Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp critical of Simon Mignolet for going public over his unhappiness at Anfield

The Belgium international suggested that he should have been allowed to leave on loan this summer rather than Loris Karius

Jurgen Klopp has criticised Simon Mignolet for going public over his unhappiness at Liverpool’s goalkeeping situation.

Mignolet is set to be second choice at Anfield this season, following the signing of Alisson from Roma and the departure of Loris Karius to Besiktas on loan.

The Belgium international suggested that he should have been allowed to leave rather than Karius, calling the Besiktas loan decision “bizarre”.

Liverpool manager Klopp, though, has made clear that Mignolet will not be leaving, with the transfer window closing on Friday in most of the major European countries.

Klopp was concerned that the goalkeeper decided to go public with his dissatisfaction, suggesting that he only became aware of it when Matt McCann, the club’s head of press, told him of the reports.

The manager said: “In the first moment, you either understand decisions or you do not but it is always better to talk to me directly about it than newspapers.

“Matt told me – usually I would not even be aware of it. It makes not too much sense [to speak publicly]. If you want to say something to me say it directly, that helps.”

Mignolet and Karius shared the domestic goalkeeping duties last season, playing 19 Premier League games each, but the German was first choice in their European campaign.

He played in all of last season’s Champions League matches bar the play-off round, as Klopp’s side reached the final.

Karius made two horrendous errors as Liverpool lost the final 3-1 to Real Madrid in Kiev, although it later emerged that he was suffering with concussion for much of the second half.

Mignolet went public with his unhappiness at the club (Getty)

Mignolet indicated that he had still expected Karius to be the understudy to Alisson this season; however, Klopp has decided to retain the Belgian instead.

“It is true he will not depart, of course not,” Klopp said, adding that he understood Mignolet’s frustration at not being allowed to seek another club.

“In general discussing your individual problems in public does not make too much sense. It is better to speak to each other. I'm a big believer in that. But it was still OK.

“It has happened this one time. We are all human beings and I have not a problem with that. If he was happy to be a number two then I wouldn't really know him.

“He is a top professional, a top goalkeeper and of course he is not happy to be number two. But at the end there are worse things in the world than being number two, for which it is pretty good pay by the way at Liverpool.”

Klopp’s side, who visit Leicester in the Premier League on Saturday, have made an excellent start to the season, having won all three matches so far without conceding a goal.

However, the manager is expecting his squad to be tested fully over the next month, as the club enter the Champions League and the Carabao Cup.

Liverpool face a tough run of five games across three competitions in 15 days over the second half of September, with Paris Saint-Germain visiting Anfield in European competition, a home game against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, and league visits to Tottenham and Stamford Bridge.

Klopp said: “We will prepare for these games in the best way we can. It’s still early, but when we start in the Champions League, we will have played five or six games so we will have more information. That makes it really interesting in terms of preparation and we will try to adapt to the different needs of the opponent.”