Liverpool have been in contact with Celtic over the sale of Caoimhin Kelleher.
Kelleher had been widely expected to leave the Reds over the course of the summer. However, with suitors reportedly put off by his asking price, the Irishman ended up staying.
That was good news for Liverpool, but looks like being merely a stay of execution. As journalist Dean Jones reports for Give Me Sport, Kelleher could soon be on his way to Celtic.
“It’s a weird one, Kelleher. You look at [Celtic first choice Joe] Hart, and he’s got so much experience, and then you’re going to change that by going for a goalkeeper who’s at the opposite end of things and trying to make a name for himself in his career,” Jones explains.
“So, you’re going from one extreme to another.
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“But Kelleher, I feel like he’s one of the best backup goalkeepers in the Premier League right now, and there’s only a certain amount of time he will wait before getting his opportunity.
“So, we know there’s been contact here, and they want this to happen. Hart can’t go on forever, so it seems like he’d be a good replacement.”
Celtic eyeing Kelleher move
On paper, Celtic could perhaps be the perfect next step for Kelleher. Too good to play back-up at Liverpool, he’d get a move to a club befitting of his quality.
But away from the glare of being a Premier League number one, the Ireland international could hone his craft before potentially getting a move in a couple of years.
The only stumbling block – as it seemingly was all summer – could be the price.
Liverpool reportedly value Kelleher at around £20m [The Athletic]. Judging on his potential and indeed the performances he’s put in up until this point, that wouldn’t seem like a terribly high price.
And yet, it remains true that the ‘keeper has only played 31 senior games in his career. 21 for Liverpool and 10 for Ireland.
Celtic’s current transfer record is the £9m or so they spent on Odsonne Edouard in 2018. So, it seems highly unlikely that they’d be willing to fork out anywhere close to Kelleher’s asking price.
Nevertheless, the goalie has the potential to be a really, really top one. There’s every chance Celtic could sell Kelleher for more than that down the line. Of course, January is the earliest a move could be arranged now, but this could be one to watch.