Liverpool journalist James Pearce has spoken of his surprise that Reds goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher didn’t see a ‘bigger battle’ from interested clubs in terms of signing him in the summer transfer window – labelling the decision for Arne Slot and his recruitment team to turn down a paltry bid from Nottingham Forest in the summer as a ‘no-brainer’.
However, The Athletic writer stated that despite the bids being rejected, there is an expectation he will move on next summer.
Kelleher was linked with a move to Premier League outfit Forest in the summer, with the east Midlands side reportedly offering £7million plus backup goalkeeper Matt Turner for his services.
But Liverpool were unwilling to sell him until next summer after a £29million deal was agreed with Valencia for goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili to arrive in June 2025 – and as a result, Kelleher will remain at Anfield for the time being before likely heading out of the exit door once the Georgian takes his spot.
Pearce: Kelleher ‘Expected’ to Leave Next Summer
The Ireland international is set to have one final season at Anfield.
The Irishman has spoken of his desire to be a starting goalkeeper, whilst Celtic have also registered their interest thanks to Kasper Schmeichel’s age – despite only signing the 37-year-old veteran stopper over the summer.
And Pearce has stated that whilst it is expected that Kelleher will leave next summer, he couldn’t get over the fact that interested clubs didn’t make more of a concerted effort to land him permanently. Talking on the Walk On podcast, The Athletic reporter said:
“He’s a Premier League quality goalkeeper, so it baffles me really that there wasn’t a bigger kind of battle for his signature.
“I think in the end, for Liverpool, it was a no-brainer. Why would you sell Kelleher for £7million plus a back-up goalkeeper you don’t even want? That would have been nonsensical.
“And of course, with Mamardashvili really being lined up for next summer, the expectation now is that this will be Kelleher’s last year at the club.”
The case surrounding Kelleher is quite an odd one. He will turn 26 before the season ends, and is clearly at a stage in his career where he needs first-team football – but whenever he does play for Liverpool in the cup competitions, or in the league when Alisson Becker is unavailable, he’s more often than not turning in Man of the Match performances.
Securing three clean sheets in his first three starts for the club, Jurgen Klopp promoted him ahead of former goalkeeper Adrian, before Virgil van Dijk called him ‘world-class’ – and after a new five-year deal in 2021, it was thought that Kelleher would one day replace Alisson between the sticks.
The Irishman scored the decisive penalty for Liverpool in their 2022 League Cup final win over Chelsea, became a penalty shootout hero in the same competition against Derby County just nine months later, and his exceptional record from the spot means that the Reds have won all four penalty shootouts that he has featured in.
However, his best performance was in the 2024 League Cup final, against the Blues again under the famous Wembley arch – and a number of superb saves gave Liverpool the foundation to claim the trophy for a second time in three years. But at his age, he’s in need of first-team opportunities and with the signing of Mamardashvili, that looks set to be over for the Ireland international.
