Liverpool will ask for at least £15m to sell back-up goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher this summer.
Kelleher is firmly second-choice at Liverpool, behind the irrepressible Alisson Becker. Despite that, the 24-year-old is an excellent goalie in his own right and is now more than ready for a first-choice berth at a Premier League club. To that end, The Daily Mail report that Brentford have ‘discussed’ signing the Irishman.
The Bees are set to lose David Raya and need to find an immediate replacement for him. As a result, Kelleher is claimed to have been seen as an option.
But Liverpool have reportedly slapped a £15m price-tag on the Corkman. This is said to be deemed as too high for Brentford, who think the Reds are being ‘unrealistic’ in their valuation.
Instead, The Mail report that Thomas Frank is now set to sign Freiburg ‘keeper Mark Flakken as an alternative. A shame, this would have been a good move for Kelleher, and for Brentford.
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Brentford say no to Kelleher
Put simply, this is utter nonsense from Brentford. Perhaps £15m is a lot to pay for a back-up goalie, we get that. But Kelleher wouldn’t be being brought in as a back-up.
If you want a quality goalkeeper, you’ve got to pay the price for one. Over his 20 appearances for Liverpool, Kelleher has more than proven his worth.
He’s already a 10-cap international and has won a trophy at Anfield. He’s looked completely at ease whenever called upon in both the Premier League and Champions League.
Now twenty-four, Kelleher’s getting to the age where he should be playing regularly. But at the same time, he’s still incredibly young for a goalkeeper. The academy graduate could play at the top for 15 years still.
So, no, given today’s market, £15m is pretty much peanuts for Caoimhin.
If Brighton can have the brass neck to tack an £80m asking price on someone like Alexis Mac Allister, then what is the problem? People call the Seagulls’ over-egging of their player’s value good practice, but will turn their nose up at a bargain from Liverpool.
Of course, we’d happily keep Kelleher for another season, he’s one of the best No.2’s in the business. But he deserves his chance elsewhere. Unless someone pays Liverpool accordingly though, that won’t happen. Brentford’s loss.