Liverpool boss wants to keep cult hero at the club despite Celtic interest

Liverpool boss Arne Slot wants to keep Caoimhin Kelleher at the club amid interest from Celtic

According to a report from The Athletic, Liverpool boss Arne Slot is planning for the new season with Caoimhin Kelleher on the club’s books amid exit links.

The talented Irish shot-stopper has been serving as an understudy to Alisson Becker at Anfield for years, but last month expressed his desire to find regular first-team football. His ambition to become a No.1 this summer will have to take him away from the Reds if it is to be achieved, considering the presence of one of the world’s best goalkeepers in Alisson.

Caoimhin Kelleher has attracted interest from Celtic in recent weeks. With Joe Hart hanging up his boots after his Celtic contract expired, Brendan Rodgers is on the hunt for a new No.1 and Kelleher could be appealed by that role at Parkhead.

As per the aforementioned report, Liverpool will sell Kelleher this summer if their transfer demands are met. They have slapped a £25m price tag over the 25-year-old’s head, or are willing to accept a fee that would be too good to refuse for a back-up goalkeeper.

As of now, no one has come up with such a figure, leading to Arne Slot planning to include Kelleher in his plans for the 2024/25 campaign. This could all change in the next few weeks, however, as there is still a long way to go before the summer transfer window slams shut.

Of course, Slot will be delighted to have both Alisson and Kelleher as his No.1 and back-up goalkeepers, respectively. The latter has long proven himself to be an excellent gloveman, playing key roles in Liverpool’s two Carabao Cup triumphs and the FA Cup success in the 2021/22 season.

Owing to Alisson’s injury issues this past campaign, the Republic of Ireland international stepped in and produced some strong displays to further enhance his stock. He made 26 appearances across all competitions—the most in a season for the Reds when compared to the last four years combined.

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Any manager heading into a new club would want to have a settled pair of goalkeepers. Slot currently has that at Liverpool and is preparing for the upcoming season with Alisson and Kelleher on board, but with the latter aspiring to become a No.1 elsewhere amid interest from many clubs, it is a situation our club must solve as quickly as possible.