Loris Karius will have to wait until October to make his competitive debut for Liverpool.
The goalkeeper, signed from Mainz for £4.7 million this summer, has been ruled for eight to 10 weeks after breaking a bone in his hand in pre-season, according to reports from the Liverpool Echo.
Karius was brought in by Jurgen Klopp to provide competition for Simon Mignolet between the sticks at Anfield but that battle for the No. 1 jersey will have to be delayed after scans confirmed the injury.
Karius hurt his hand during Liverpool’s defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday after he collided with defender Dejan Lovren as he attempted to punch clear a cross into the box.
Visibly uncomfortable, the 23-year-old opted to play on but was sent for a scan on Thursday where a fracture was discovered.
He will leave Liverpool’s California training base on Friday to return for treatment at Melwood.
Mignolet is therefore almost certain to start the Reds’ Premier League opener away to Arsenal while Klopp has luckily brought in further cover in the form of veteran stopper Alex Manninger.
