(Sports)Aussie goalie Ryan welcomes Liverpool speculation

Australian goalkeeper Mat Ryan says he is flattered to be linked with English Premier League giant Liverpool, but says his primary focus remains on the 2015 Asian Cup.

Reports out of England during the week have heavily linked Ryan with a move to Liverpool at the end of the season.

It follows rumors that reigning European champions Real Madrid were after his signature earlier last year.

However, despite the speculation, the 22-year-old remains coy on his future.

On Thursday, the Australian was the recipient of the Belgian Goalkeeper of the Year award for the second consecutive time following yet another impressive season with his current side, Club Brugge.

However, how much longer he stays in Belgium remains to be seen.

"I spoke to my agent overnight, but he was just congratulating me on the award," Ryan told Fox Sports Australia on Friday.

"We have a good understanding and he knows that I just like to focus on the football and, come Saturday, my mind will be on the job and hopefully another positive result.

"Hopefully one day, it's definitely an ambition of mine to get to Germany, England, Spain or Italy. I've always had the mentality to work hard in the present and in the future, if it's meant to be, then it will sort itself out.

"For now, I'll just continue to keep my head down and work hard and we'll see what happens."

The evening prior, in a joint-press conference with Australian manager Ange Postecoglou, Ryan welcomed links with Liverpool and suggested a decision on his future will be made at the end of the current European season.

"With social media these days, it's pretty hard to ignore something like that," Ryan said.

"I have an agent who looks after that sort of stuff. My focus is here with the Socceroos and the game on Saturday night.

"I had this sort of stuff during the World Cup with Real Madrid and I still don't know if that was true or not. Obviously it's nice to be associated with a club like that (Liverpool), but if it 's meant to be I guess it will happen in the future."

Ryan was speaking with Fox Sports Australia ahead of the side's upcoming group match against South Korea on Saturday night.

A win or a draw means Australia will top Group A of the Asian Cup and avoid a quarter final clash with China, instead playing either Uzbekistan or Saudi Arabia in Melbourne.

According to the Socceroos stopper, the team is confident of a positive result.

"So far, so good in the tournament, but first and foremost we need to take control of South Korea," he said.

"They're obviously our toughest opponent in the group and will be a good test for us.

"We're doing all the right things at the moment to be ready for that."

With Australia still the favorites to take out the Asian Cup following 4-1 and 4-0 victories over Kuwait and Oman respectively, Ryan said winning the tournament on home soil would be one of the best moments of his career so far.

"It would be a very nice feeling," he said. "It would be close to the best feeling I've had in my lifetime so far, definitely in my football career. It would be amazing.

"You see the support that we've got in the games we've had so far, the whole nation is behind us and to have a parade at the end and hopefully win it, it would be great." Endi