Reports: Mignolet Happy At Sunderland, For Now Anyway

After potential suitors were given a firm "hands off" from Martin O'Neill last week if they dared to look to sign Simon Mignolet from us, the big Belgian himself has moved to tell people he's happy at the club... for now anyway.

Speaking with Belgian media outlet Sporza ahead of tonight's game against Liverpool, Mignolet said;

I am trying to avoid all the rumours at the minute. We will see what happens at the end of the road, but at the moment, I am happy with things.

I am only 24, so the most important thing for me is to continue playing in the Sunderland first team and gain more experience, which is possible here.

It would be a tremendous blow to lose Mignolet, and for the record I don't think he'll be leaving any time soon. One of the biggest things we could do this summer however is tie him down to a long-term contract.

Looking at things through a slightly more negative eye though the "we will see what happens" comment is a tad worrying. It seems that he's here because he's playing, and if a bigger/better club could offer him a route out with regular first team - and with Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United seemingly far from sold on their current first choice 'keepers, I expect this to rumble on and give us a nervy January and summer.

Mignolet has been in magnificent for for the last 18-months or so, and has surpassed all challenges from Craig Gordon, Keiren Westwood and others to firmly establish himself as our number one 'keeper and indeed one of the best in the country.