Caoimhin Kelleher given BRUTAL warning over Liverpool future
Liverpool’s goalkeeping situation is becoming the definition of an embarrassment of riches.
Alisson was performing at a league-leading level before his injury last month, and Caoimhin Kelleher has stepped in to put down performances that show he’s a better starting goalkeeper than most of the rest of the Premier League.
And this is before the arrival of Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia in the summer.
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Kelleher’s situation is an awkward one in which he has publicly stated his intentions to be a starting goalkeeper, indicating his desire to leave the club.
And despite the Republic of Ireland’s 5-0 loss yesterday, there was nothing Kelleher could particularly do about any of the goals, and his stock only continues to rise after a match-saving performance against Finland last week.
As a result, legendary Irish goalkeeper Shay Given has declared that Kelleher has to leave Liverpool if he wants to save his career.
“Caoimhin played 26 games last season and in that time he showed that he has the talent to be a number one in the Premier League.” Given said in an exclusive interview with the Mirror. “But he turns 26 later this month and, if I am brutally honest, he needs to get away from Liverpool if he wants that to happen.
“Every professional footballer has to have that hope that if they get a place in the team and perform well then they will keep the jersey. Caoimhin hasn’t got that.
"It has been made clear to him that he will always be behind Alisson - and let’s be honest he is up against a guy who is one of the best in the world.
“Maybe Caoimhin has been too nice about it up to now because sometimes you do have to force the issue. That isn’t a nice situation. He has been very loyal to Liverpool and he won’t want to upset the fans.
“He is ripe, fully cooked and ready to flourish. Caoimhin made an error when Ireland lost in Greece, but he went back to Anfield and it didn’t faze him… Kelleher has shown that mentally he is very sound by the way he reacted to that error.”
Time for Kelleher to leave Liverpool?
Given’s comments come at a time just after Kelleher has put himself in the shop window in the biggest way possible whilst just before Alisson is set to return between the sticks at Anfield.
It is the perfect indication of Kelleher’s situation - performed at a starting level standard over a significant number of games but reduced back to the bench because he is competing with one of the only goalkeepers in the country who consistently performs better than he does.
Kelleher has made a couple of mistakes throughout his Liverpool career but, as Given pointed out, reacted very well each time.
And with the incoming of Mamardashvili, now seems like the perfect time for Liverpool's number two to seek somewhere game-time will be more permanent. That is, if Liverpool don't move on from Alisson as well.
Despite Liverpool rejecting a move from Nottingham Forest in the last transfer window, it does seem that Kelleher will be on the move in the summer. Celtic are the latest team rumoured to be targeting the Irish international.
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