Karius: The big 5

1. The hand injury means he'll have to wait, but former German Under-21 international keeper Karius can't wait to play at Anfield for the first time. “It’s an honour to play for a club like this. They have a special history and the fans are amazing here, so I look forward to playing at Anfield. I know a lot about the club from watching them on TV. The history, everybody who plays football knows. There are a lot of things in my head when I think of this club. I spoke to the manager and I had a good feeling afterwards because he told me what he wants to do with the club and with the players. It was a good talk with him and after that I was convinced this was the right decision.”

2. Loris speaks good English having spent a couple of years at Manchester City when he was a teenager, but the ambitious goalie didn't hang around at the Etihad for too long as he wanted to play regularly. “It’s good to be back in England. When I left Man City I was still really young and I decided to go somewhere else to get some first-team experience. I took the step to Mainz. I needed to join a smaller club to get my career going as a young player. I did everything right with that move. I had almost three full seasons in the Bundesliga there. I am still young but I’ve played around 100 games in the Bundesliga so I have some experience.”

3. Competition for places is guaranteed at LFC and with Simon Mignolet and fellow-new boy Alex Manninger also in contention to be first choice between the sticks, 23-year-old Karius accepts he's in for battle. But he's confident of establishing himself at Anfield. “I know that a club like this has more competition. It’s a bigger club and better players means more competition. I am not scared or anything. I have a good feeling. I wouldn’t come here just to sit on the bench. That doesn’t make sense for me. I’m not a keeper who hasn’t shown his ability. I know I am a good goalkeeper and I’ve shown that a lot. I could have stayed at Mainz and played there. If I wasn’t sure I could come and play here this season, I wouldn’t have done it.”

4. Got Instagram on your phone or tablet? Then swipe onto @lorisk21, if you haven't already. The Reds new number one is a prolific social-media poster and also has a @LorisKarius Twitter profile to keep tabs on. Recent updates include photos of Loris sitting out on the doorstep of his new home, having a mooch around Liverpool city-centre, giving a thumbs-up with his broken hand bandaged up and video footage of a brilliant save he made away to Huddersfield Town before he got injured. Scroll down far enough and you might just spot him chilling out with Justin Bieber, too...

5. What are Loris Karius' best qualities? He'll tell you himself: “I think I’m a really confident goalkeeper. I like to play offensively, helping the defence out and playing with my feet, clearing situations early. If I’m far off my line and can clear a situation before it even comes to the goal, I’m confident doing that. I can block balls and I am a good shot-stopper. I try to be really offensive and help my team out a lot.” He also knows how to keep a clean sheet. The Biberach an der Riss-born stopper conceded just one goal in five pre-season appearances for the Reds having kept nine clean-sheets in his 34 Bundesliga matches for Mainz 05 last season. Here's hoping for many more!