Arne Slot now plans to have ‘A+’ player at Liverpool next season

Liverpool and Arne Slot are planning to have an ‘A+’ player with them next season. That could change over the next few weeks, however.

The Athletic reports that as of right now, Arne Slot is preparing for the season with Caoimhin Kelleher on Liverpool’s books. The goalkeeper is heavily linked with a move away from Anfield.

Those links were always going to come but were forced to the forefront once Kelleher made it clear that he wants to be a no.1 goalkeeper. He’s been Alisson Becker’s backup thus far - a solid role but not one that offers much for growth.

If Alisson plays at the elite level until his late 30s, Kelleher could be into his 30s himself before finally getting the no.1 shirt. That’s not what he wants from his career.

Thus it’s expected that Liverpool will sell Kelleher this summer if the right bid comes in. The Athletic’s piece mentions a £25m price-tag or, essentially, an asking price of ‘offer us something too good to refuse for a backup goalkeeper’.

No one has offered that yet and as a result, Liverpool are planning to have Kelleher next season. That could all change in the next few weeks, of course.

Arne Slot will certainly be happy to have him. Alisson and Kelleher are an incredibly strong pair of goalkeepers, with Jurgen Klopp having labelled the latter ‘exceptional’ and ‘A+’ at times last season.

Caoimhin Kelleher to stay?

Liverpool are in a particularly difficult position in goal. Kelleher wants out and Adrian is almost certainly leaving. He’s expected to reject a one-year contract offer and sign for his boyhood club, Real Betis, instead.

Both leaving would leave the squad incredibly short in goal. That’s especially problematic as Alisson doesn’t have the greatest fitness record for a goalkeeper.

Liverpool need cover and the easiest way to find that is by keeping Kelleher. Still, he could end up leaving, forcing the Reds into signing a pair of goalkeepers.

It’s unclear where this one will go for now but we should know by the end of the month.