
Liverpool
Premier League • England
Liverpool man told he ‘needs’ to leave as predecessor believes Reds have ‘held him back’

Caoimhin Kelleher has been told he needs to leave Liverpool
Former Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given has told Caoimhin Kelleher that he “needs to get away from Liverpool” as the Reds can’t “hold him back for much longer”.
Kelleher remains a fringe player at Liverpool when Alisson is fit. Manager Arne Slot has suggested the Brazilian remains his No.1, meaning it’s likely he gets his job back when he’s fit.
But in his absence, Kelleher has performed well, as he tends to when Alisson is out of action. Kelleher is yet to concede in two Champions League games this term, and has conceded just four times in five Premier League games this term.
He has also played 18 times for Ireland, working his way up to being their first-choice goalkeeper, having started each of their last seven games. Tony Cascarino has described the goalkeeper as Ireland’s “most important” player.
And his predecessor in the Ireland net, Given – who last played two years before Kelleher debuted – feels if he’s to reach his full potential, the stopper needs to leave Liverpool.
“Caoimhin played 26 games last season and in that time he showed that he has the talent to be a No 1 in the Premier League. 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,” Given told the Mirror.
“Kelleher would have been disappointed to hear Slot state publicly that Alisson will always be his first-choice keeper because everyone wants to go into training every day with the belief that they are fighting for a place in the team.
“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.
“He’s done his time at Liverpool. That’s no disrespect to a brilliant club but they are now starting to think that they can’t hold Kelleher back for much longer because he is a quality player.”
READ MORE: The key contract details of every Liverpool first-team player: Expiry dates, weekly wages, agents…
Kelleher can be best in world
Fellow former Ireland international Kevin Doyle feels Kelleher can be the best in the world.
“I think in five or six years he is going to be in the top one or two goalkeepers in the world,” Doyle told RTE.
“He’s that good at everything he does. He has got everything in the locker. He ticks every box. If he can get himself playing, I feel he’s going to be the top man.”
But if he can’t get himself playing at Liverpool, he can’t do that, and a move will have to happen for him to reach his potential.
Liverpool round-up: Left-back moves in view
Liverpool have been linked with Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson of late, and reports suggest they could offer up Kostas Tsimikas in order to bring down his price.
It is believed, though, that talks for another Premier League left-back, Milos Kerkez, have been opened.
Meanwhile, it’s reported Mohamed Salah will not be moving to Barcelona, with Hansi Flick vetoing the move due to wanting a younger player.
It is believed that the Egyptian has decided to move to the Middle East.
Kelleher v Alisson
