When the 2023-24 season came to a close, most Liverpool fans and media assumed it would also mark the end of Caoimhin Kelleher’s time at the club with the 25-year-old backup goalkeeper expected to move on in search of playing time.
Two weeks into pre-season ahead of the 2024-25 season, though, there have been no reliable reports of serious interest from potential buying clubs and Liverpool appear increasingly likely to play their first summer friendlies with Kelleher in goal.
For Irish national team manager Heimir Hallgrímsson, it’s a less than ideal situation. Or at the very least it will be if the transfer window shuts at the end of August and Kelleher is still on the books at Liverpool backing up first choice Alisson Becker.
“Of course, especially when he showedhe can play at the highest level,” Hallgrímsson said when asked if he wants to see Kelleher at a new club. “It would be a shame if he’s not playing regularly after he has already shown everyone how good he is.”
While some might feel that isn’t the sort of thing a national team manager should say even if everybody is thinking it, the reality is that everybody is thinking it—including most Liverpool fans, even if ideally they’d probably like to keep Kelleher around.
The good news for the Irish goalkeeper and his national team manager is that the summer transfer window isn’t closed for another six weeks, and when Alisson returns from his summer break it’s possible we’ll see movement towards a deal.