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Mignolet on Liverpool's radar

Simon Mignolet has emerged as a target for Liverpool © Getty Images

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Sunderland keeper Simon Mignolet has emerged as a leading candidate for a move to Liverpool if goalkeeper Pepe Reina leaves for Barcelona, ESPN understands.

Reina's Anfield future remains uncertain, with Victor Valdes indicating that he plans to leave the Nou Camp.

Valdes, 31, looked set to move on this summer, but stated on Friday that he now intends to stay on until his contract expires in 2014, and then leave.

That has reduced the chances of Reina, 30, returning to the Nou Camp, where he began his career, before the start of next season.

Liverpool are still considering a number of goalkeeping options if Reina does leave, with Belgium international Mignolet, 25, understood to be high on their list, ahead of other candidates, including Stoke's Asmir Begovic and Reading's Alex McCarthy.

At this stage, though, Liverpool have not made an approach for Mignolet, whose impressive form in 2012-13 saw him named Sunderland's player of the season.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers remains keen to freshen up his squad over the summer, although speculation linking the club with a move for Reading defender Alex Pearce is wide of the mark.

Rodgers, who has brought in centre-back Kolo Toure on a free transfer from Manchester City, is hoping to complete a £7.7 million deal for Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas, 25, over the coming days.

The manager needs to bolster his forward line, with Luis Suarez having made clear he wants to leave and Daniel Sturridge facing four months out after sustaining an ankle injury during England's 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland last Wednesday.

But despite those issues in attack, there is still no way back into regular first-team contention for Andy Carroll, who has accepted that his future lies away from Anfield and is likely to agree to complete a £15 million move to West Ham this week.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.