Liverpool new-boy Loris Karius has given up with Olympics dream to make sure he steals the No1 spot from Simon Mignolet
German goalkeeper has turned down the chance to play at Rio 2016 in bid to be Jurgen Klopp's first choice stopper
LORIS KARIUS gave up his Olympic dream to make sure he becomes Liverpool’s new No1.
It cost Jurgen Klopp under £5million to lure Karius from Mainz – yet the German keeper has no plans to play second fiddle to Simon Mignolet.
And he is so determined to start the season as the Kop’s first choice stopper, that he has KO’d the chance of representing his country in Rio next month.
Karius, 23, revealed: “I spoke with manager and we said it doesn’t make sense because then I’d miss the first two games of the season.
“Of course I want to play so we agreed together that I will not be going.
“First I spoke with Jurgen and then together we spoke with the German people.
“They obviously they wanted me to go, but the priority is the club, and it’s more important I am available for the start of the season.”
Karius arrives at Anfield with nearly a century of Mainz games under his belt and is a German international at all six levels below the seniors.
He also had two years with Manchester City after they signed him from home club Stuttgart at 16.
Yet despite impressing at the Etihad, Karius returned to Mainz in 2011 for first-team football.
But he is already impressing on Merseyside — and with Mignolet hardly short of critics, the German is certain he can force open the first-team door.
Karius, voted second best Bundesliga keeper behind Manuel Neuer, added: “I trained with Joe Hart and Shay Given every day and travelled with the first team a few times.
“Training was high level so it was good experience. I got to know the language and the country well, so it was good for my development. I never regretted it.
“But I left City because I wanted to play and took the step to Mainz because I thought I needed a smaller team to get my career going.
“I did everything right with that, and had nearly three full seasons football in the Bundesliga. Although I am still young, have played around 100 Bundesliga games.
“I have experience and for the next step in my career, this was right. Of course there is more competition but I am not scared of anything or else I wouldn’t have done it.
“I wouldn’t come here just to sit on bench – that doesn’t make sense for me. I am not like some keeper who hasn’t shown his ability or whatever.
“I know I am a good goalkeeper. I could have stayed at Mainz, and also become an international next season. But if I wasn’t sure I’d come here and play, I wouldn’t do it.
“Obviously the manager has seen a good goalkeeper in me I guess, or he wouldn’t have brought me here.
“So I need to settle in, get to know the players, get the communication going with the defence. And there are a lot of pre-season games to get all that going.”