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I left Newcastle United & Liverpool for first-team football - now I'm considering retirement at …

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Five months on from leaving Newcastle United, Loris Karius remains without a club.

Karius joined Newcastle as a free agent back in 2022 but only made two competitive appearances for the club over two seasons. The Germany made his Magpies debut in unexpected circumstances in the Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester United in February 2023 after Nick Pope was suspended and Martin Dubravka cup tied.

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Fitness problems for Pope and Dubravka then saw Karius start a 4-1 defeat at Arsenal a year later before he was released in the summer. The former Liverpool goalkeeper appointed a new agent earlier this year and spoke of his desire to join an Italian club to be closer to his wife and daughter.

During his time away from playing, Karius has been seen modelling in Italy and admitted he has considered retiring.

In a recent interview with Sport Bible, Karius said: “If you’ve been out for as long as I have then you obviously have to consider retirement. I haven’t made a decision yet because there’s no need to. I’m still fit. I still have all the potential and the ability.

“But if a door doesn’t open then I have to be honest and say to myself, ‘Listen. I’ve got many other things that I can pursue that excite me; that I enjoy and put effort into.’ I don’t think it would hit me that hard because I’ve already been going through this process over the last few years.”

Loris Karius in action for Newcastle United against Arsenal in February 2024.Loris Karius in action for Newcastle United against Arsenal in February 2024.

Loris Karius in action for Newcastle United against Arsenal in February 2024. | AFP via Getty Images

Still, Karius remains open to joining a new club should a suitable offer come in.

“At the moment, I am not contracted to any club, but I have not finished my career yet,” he told Sky Germany. “If the right offer comes in, I would like to keep playing football.

“I believe I still possess the necessary qualities to be a good goalkeeper. However, if an offer does not suit me, I won’t agree just for the sake of playing somewhere.”

Karius hasn’t played regular first-team football since a loan spell at Beşiktaş during the 2019-20 season. The 31-year-old made 49 appearances during his time at Liverpool though his final game for the club came in a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the 2018 Champions League final. Karius was judged to be at fault for two of Madrid’s goals in the match as it was later revealed he played on through a concussion.

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