A round-up of the latest Liverpool news as the Reds receive a warning about targeting Jarrad Branthwaite’s transfer from Everton, while their Darwin Nunez plan hits a blip.
Liverpool are sympathetic to Caoimhin Kelleher’s desire for a transfer
Republic of Ireland international Caoimhin Kelleher remains keen to leave Liverpool in a bid to become the No1 goalkeeper at a club. But while Anfield chiefs are sympathetic about his wish to find regular first-choice minutes, the Reds will not sell the 25-year-old on the cheap.
That is according to the Liverpool ECHO, which reports that Liverpool will only permit a club to sign Kelleher if his transfer brings in a fee they consider to be appropriate. The Reds have also blocked a move before as they fear Allison Becker’s injury history will leave them short.
Liverpool’s belief that Kelleher still has a key role at Anfield will also now bear fruit after the hamstring injury Alisson sustained. Kelleher has only featured in one Premier League fixture so far this season and penned 10 of the shot-stopper’s 16 career top-flight outings last term.
Kelleher lived up to the task when Liverpool were without Alisson due to injuries last season with his longest run in the squad so far. Arne Slot will now hope the 15-cap international can replicate the form he produced under Jurgen Klopp in 2023/24 until Alisson is able to return.
Read more about how Liverpool view sanctioning a transfer for Kelleher, here.
CAS suspending Darwin Nunez’s Uruguay ban scuppers Liverpool’s plan
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has scuppered Liverpool’s plan to see Darwin Nunez utilise the international break to improve his match fitness after temporarily suspending the Uruguay star’s CONMEBOL ban. He is now available for La Celeste to face Peru and Ecuador.
CONMEBOL had slapped Nunez with a five-game international ban in August due to his part in an altercation with fans after Colombia beat Uruguay in the Copa America semi-final. The governing body issued five players with suspensions from international duty over their roles.
So, Liverpool planned to use Nunez staying at the AXA Training Centre this month to stage a behind-closed-doors friendly to improve his fitness, per The Times. The 25-year-old has started one of his four Premier League games from six matches since Arne Slot took charge.
Slot also started Nunez in the Carabao Cup against West Ham United and against Bologna in the Champions League. But through seven appearances from a possible nine games, he has only played 307 of a potential 810 minutes in which Nunez has just one goal and one assist.
Read more about how CAS has scuppered Liverpool’s plan after pausing Nunez’s ban, here.
Liverpool must ‘significantly overpay’ to sign Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton
Liverpool are likely to be in the market for a new centre-half in 2025, but they face having to ‘significantly overpay’ rivals Everton for the transfer of Jarrad Branthwaite. That is according to Ben Jacobs, who reports the Reds are yet to meaningfully contact the Goodison Park side.
Branthwaite is a player whom Liverpool – and also Manchester United – admire but one the Reds face real trouble trying to sign from Everton. The Toffees will not sell the 22-year-old to their Stanley Park neighbours for what they would find a reasonable fee from another team.
The one-cap England international is a pillar of the team at Goodison Park, although injuries have restricted his availability this term. Everton manager Sean Dyche has only been able to start and use Branthwaite in one of a potential nine fixtures across all competitions thus far.
Read more about Liverpool’s chances of securing Branthwaite’s transfer from Everton, here.
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