Alex Manninger joined Liverpool on a short term deal in July 2016 to provide goalkeeping cover for Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius. The keeper joined the Reds at the age of 39, having played more than thirty times for his native Austria and had something of a nomadic career. He is best known in England for his spell as backup keeper at Arsenal between 1997 and 2002 and has also played in Italy and Austria. He joined the Reds after four years at Augsburg where he made 34 league appearances in four seasons. Manninger left Liverpool for free in the summer of 2017 after no first-team appearances and announced hie retirement from professional football stating his desire to return to his native Austria and possibly work in the building trade.