Football
Glenn Price, Liverpool correspondent 6y

Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius completes two-year loan move to Besiktas

Besiktas have completed the signing of Loris Karius on a two-year loan, Liverpool confirmed on Saturday.

Sources have told ESPN FC that Besiktas will pay an initial loan fee worth £2.25 million and that the deal will become permanent if Karius reaches a certain number of appearances at the Turkish club and if they qualify for European football.

Liverpool would be due another £7.25m if the move becomes permanent and have inserted a 20 percent sell-on clause.

Karius's place at Liverpool had been in severe doubt following his two horrendous errors in their Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid in May. Liverpool then signed Alisson from Roma in the summer, further raising doubt over Karius' future.

"We said goodbye yesterday. He's really looking forward to it, which is good. It's good for him," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said after the Reds' 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. "I really think Loris is a fantastic goalkeeper, at a very good age. A lot of people spoke to me about our improved defensive things, but as good as Alisson has been in the last three games, he was not here for the games before that, it was Loris in goal and he did a lot of good things.

"Besiktas have quite an experienced team so I think they have a good chance to win the league in Turkey, so that's cool," Klopp said. "Now they have a really good goalkeeper, I'm really happy for him and he is happy with the opportunity as well. All good."

A statement on Liverpool's website said: "Everybody at LFC wishes Loris the best of luck during his loan spell."

Karius has made 49 appearances for Liverpool since his £4.7m arrival from Bundesliga side Mainz in 2016.

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