For Wolves, this season has been a very promising one as they currently sit sixth in the Premier League table, three points from a potential place in the Champions League. For their latest target however, it's been rather the opposite.
According to reports from Turkey (via Daily Mail), the Midlands side could be bringing Liverpool's rejected goalkeeper to Molineux in the summer on loan.
The Turkish outlet Fanatik has reported that the Reds have been in talks with Wolves over a potential move for the German, who would join the ranks as back-up to Rui Patricio. However, a move in any capacity for Karius would be like trying to fit a round peg in a square hole. The 26-year-old certainly has Premier League experience on his side, but no success to show for it and of course, his costly errors in Europe cannot be easily forgotten.
Football FanCast has taken a look at the reasons why Karius may not be the right match for Wolverhampton.
Errors and Old Habits
The German shot-stopper arrived at Anfield with a lot of promise to become a cult hero and help plug Liverpool's leaky defence. After a shaky start to his debut season – keeping just three clean sheets and making two costly errors – Klopp remained sold on Karius' ability between the sticks.
However, into his second term with the Merseyside outfit, the new No.1 single-handedly knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League final. His blunders gifted Real Madrid two goals, which was the final nail in the coffin for the majority of fans.
After his calamitous performance in Kyiv, a beIN Sports panel analysed his mistakes, with one pundit claiming Karius would 'never recover' from those woeful 90 minutes.
This prediction has proved accurate so far. A two-year spell with Besiktas hasn't had the desired effect to bring some positive form back to Karius. Following a match against Konyaspor in 2019, Besiktas manager Senol Gunes hit out at his goalkeeper for his error and stated his performances had 'gone stagnant'.
Additionally, according to WhoScored, the German's weaknesses have been identified as long passing and saving long shots, something which most goalkeepers should be able to comfortably do.
Joining a side that could potentially be playing in four competitions next season will see Karius with a lot of game time. But professionals and fans alike know he has some very fateful errors in him, and he would be a ticking time bomb at Wolves.
Lack of Confidence
The arrival of a record new signing brought in to replace you is not a welcome thought by any player. But it must particularly sting when you've just played out the worst game of your career and now the team are phasing you out.
According to the Telegraph, following the arrival of Alisson in 2018, Karius was said to be 'bitterly disappointed' in Jurgen Klopp for bringing in his replacement. Reportedly, Liverpool's new arrival made the former first-choice 'keeper question his future with the Reds. Not long after, Karius was shipped out to Turkey on loan with Besiktas.
During his spell in the Super Lig, the 26-year-old has endured some truly testing times. Not only did he struggle to adapt at first, but reports claimed he was owed a backlog of wages from the club. The Turkish side had withheld four months of payment from Karius last year and now a new complaint has been raised by the goalkeeper who has not been paid since the season was suspended last month (via the Guardian).
Arriving at a new club with an exciting project unfolding would be too much for Karius to take on at this moment in his career. His first return to the Premier League since the 2018 Champions League final will be a very unnerving situation for him. Shouldering that whilst trying to be at his best for a new team will only knock his confidence even more.
Plus, with the pressure of helping Wolves achieve all they can next season, the likelihood of more errors will be even higher. Karius will not want a repeat of his past nightmares, and to decrease the chances of that happening, the German must consider looking for a less-demanding club.