Liverpool: Simon Mignolet welcomes first-team battle with new signing Loris Karius

Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is relishing a battle with the club's new signing Loris Karius for the first-team role in Jurgen Klopp's side.

Karius, 22, became Liverpool's second signing of the summer in May after the club agreed a fee with Bundesliga club Mainz. He and Cameroon defender Joel Matip, who agreed terms with the Reds in February, will arrive on Merseyside on 1 July.

Mignolet's role as first-choice goalkeeper has come under scrutiny during the past two seasons but the Belgium international retained his spot in the first-team under Klopp during the 2015-16 campaign ahead of Adam Bogdan, who failed to impress under the German coach.

The arrival of Karius presents a sterner challenge but one the former Sunderland goalkeeper welcomes.

"It is something positive," Mignolet said of the arrival of another goalkeeper," Sky Sports reports. "It will push you on and only make you better. Competition for places, you will always have that at the highest level, and I think that is something that is really good for this team. For every place and every position there are more than enough people who can do the job when needed and that is what you need to have in a good team."

Mignolet is currently with the Belgium squad at Euro 2016 where he is acting as understudy to Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois. Marc Wilmots' side endured a woeful start to their campaign, falling to a 2-0 defeat to Italy in their opening group game.

"After defeat initially it is always disappointing," Mignolet conceded. "That was the initial feeling. After that you need to take the positives from that and look forward to the next game, it comes round pretty quickly."

Belgium will look to try and get their campaign back on track against the Republic of Ireland, led by his former Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill, on Saturday 18 June

"It's a good team, they have lots of players from the Premier League, my old manager from Sunderland, too. It will be good to see them again but first of all we have to try to beat them and get three more important points."