Former Manchester United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich says Mitch Langerak should return to Europe

Mitch Langerak’s form is so good in Japan that Mark Bosnich believes the former Melbourne Victory keeper should return to Europe.

Mitch Langerak has been in record-breaking form for Nagoya Grampus.

FORMER Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Bosnich believes record-breaking gloveman Mitch Langerak’s talents are “wasted” in Japan, and that the former Melbourne Victory custodian should return to Europe.

Langerak has just set a record for the most number of clean sheets in a J.League season, with his 17th on the weekend helping Nagoya Grampus to a 1-0 win over Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

The victory secured Nagoya third spot on the ladder and a place in next year’s AFC Champions League.

“We’ve had a really good season as a club, for me personally it’s been great to be in such good form and be contributing to the team and to the success that we’re having,” Langerak told Socceroos.com.au last month.

Bosnich has been a huge admirer of Langerak since first seeing him play for the Victory 12 years ago.

“My feelings about Langerak haven’t changed since I first saw him as a young kid for Melbourne Victory – he’s an outstanding goalkeeper,” Bosnich said.

Langerak, now 32, moved to German giants Borussia Dortmund in 2010, and spent almost eight years in Europe in a stint that also included spells at Stuttgart (Germany) and Levante (Spain).

He moved to Nagoya in January 2018, and has made 107 appearances in all competitions for the Japanese club.

✨🧤🥅✨ Composed. Confident. Dominant in the net.

🇦🇺 @MitchLangerak25 with a record-breaking campaign between the sticks for @nge_official. 👏👏👏

© J.LEAGUE - All Rights Reserved pic.twitter.com/bSeNsVsBuE

— J.LEAGUE Official EN (@J_League_En) December 19, 2020

Langerak will again line up for Nagoya next season but Bosnich would love for the Queenslander to try his hand in Europe again.

“I actually think he’s wasted playing in Japan,” Bosnich said.

“The Japanese league is getting better all the time but I think the mecca for players is still Europe.

“He can play there. He showed at Dortmund when he came in, especially in big games, how good he can play.”

Langerak’s great form is in contrast to long-time Socceroos’ first-choice goalkeeper Mat Ryan, who is on the outer at English Premier League club Brighton.

Left out of the squad for Brighton’s 1-1 draw with Sheffield United on Sunday night, Ryan seems likely to leave the club during next month’s transfer window.

Capped 59 times for Australia, Ryan got the nod ahead of Langerak from then Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou following Mark Schwarzer’s international retirement in November 2013.

Bosnich said Langerak – who has eight Socceroos caps – was unlucky not to have played more for Australia.

“Maty Ryan got in primarily because I think Ange at the time thought his distribution was slightly better than Mitch’s, but in terms of goalkeeping stakes, Mitch is as good as anyone,” former Manchester United, Chelsea and Aston Villa keeper Bosnich said.

Originally published as Former Manchester United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich says Mitch Langerak should return to Europe