Newcastle United sign Loris Karius - Former Liverpool keeper joins on a free transfer

This article was first published on Sept. 8 and has been updated with new information. 

Newcastle have signed former Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius as a free transfer. According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, the 29-year-old shot-stopper has been at St James’ Park since last week but an announcement was delayed due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II. On Monday, the transfer was finally made official. 

According to the reports, the Geordie club moved for Karius after back-up keeper Karl Darlow was confirmed to have suffered an ankle ligament tear, forcing Newcastle to return to the transfer market to pick up another keeper. Karius, who left Liverpool earlier this summer after his contract expired, is currently was a free agent and available to sign on a free transfer despite the window being closed.

"We are pleased to add Loris to our goalkeeping group," manager Eddie Howe said in a club statement. "He is a very good goalkeeper with Premier League and European experience and he will provide competition and support over an important part of the season." 

Karius to Newcastle - Third English club for German keeper

The German shot stopper was once considered a remarkable talent, after making his name as an exciting, young talent at Mainz, before making the move to Liverpool in a deal worth a reported €6.2 million. The keeper made just under 50 appearances for the Anfield club before some high-profile mistakes forced the club to sign a more reliable keeper between the posts, leading Karius to seek out game time in loan moves at Besiktas and Union Berlin over the past three or four seasons. 

A move to Newcastle means a third stint at an English club for Karius, who spent much of his earlier years as a young keeper in Manchester City’s youth academy. The player made the move to Manchester in 2009, where he worked his way up into the club’s reserve team, before returning to Germany to play for Mainz in 2011 on a loan deal and then permanently a year later.