Liverpool could yet sell back-up goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher during this summer’s transfer window.
Kelleher had seemingly been set for the Anfield exit door ahead of next season, with the Irishman keen to pursue a starting spot elsewhere. However, with Liverpool having slapped a hefty price-tag on him, no offers have been forthcoming.
Kelleher has played his part in pre-season and looks likely to be on the bench for next Sunday’s Premier League opener with Chelsea. According to The Daily Mail though, he may not be at the club by the time September rolls around.
They claim that the 24-year-old is one of two players who could still potentially leave Liverpool in the next four weeks. The other is centre-back Nat Phillips, who wasn’t on the recent tour to Singapore.
No further details are given in terms of interested clubs or potential money involved. But it seems that both Kelleher and Phillips still have a question mark over their heads.
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Liverpool not keen on losing Kelleher
Losing Kelleher at this stage of pre-season would actually be a really big blow to Liverpool. With so much work to do in the midfield and potentially in defence, they don’t need to be scrambling for a goalkeeper, too.
And they’d have to replace the Ireland international. Make no mistake, Adrian is no longer good enough to be the Reds’ No.2. He showed that in his brief pre-season display this summer.
Marcelo Pitaluga isn’t ready yet and nor are any of Liverpool’s plethora of other young goalkeepers.
With former reported target Leopold Wahlstedt also now looking like being off the market, the pool of talent available at this stage of the summer is getting shallow. So, with slight condolences to Caoimhin, we’re going to need him to stick around.
Of course, the Irishman will get on with things without too much trouble. He may also get a little more game time this season with Europa League action on the menu.
However, despite being – in the words of Phillips himself – a ‘magnificent’ ‘keeper, he clearly isn’t going to usurp Alisson Becker any time soon. It’s another season of sitting on the bench.
As for Phillips, let’s hope he finally does get his move. That he wasn’t on the trip to the Far East suggests a transfer is close. Leeds United have been heavily linked and that would look like a smart choice for Nat.