Liverpool academy star Caoimhin Kelleher may be inching closer to a long-awaited Anfield exit as a spot at a Premier League rival looks set to come open.
The writing was on the wall for the talented Irish goalkeeper when Liverpool agreed to sign Valencia ace Giorgi Mamardashvili last summer, in addition to Alisson Becker retaining his first-team spot.
Kelleher has repeatedly said he wants to be a team’s number one keeper, something he reiterated at the end of the season.
“I think I’ve said it before as well that like, I feel like I’m a number one and I feel like I’m good enough to play week in, week out,” said Kelleher.
“That’s what I’m looking to do. Obviously, this season I was lucky enough to play a lot of games… but yeah, definitely something I’m looking at.”
After being linked with Brentford and newly-promoted Leeds United, among others, a Merseyside departure looks to be gathering momentum after a transfer update at Thomas Frank’s side.
And in an update on X, Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Bayer Leverkusen have now agreed a deal with Brentford to sign keeper Mark Flekken for a fee in the region of €10 million (£8.4m, $11.3m), with medical tests to follow shortly.
The Bees are now in the market for a new number one and strong reports have suggested they will turn to Kelleher next and give him the chance to finally establish himself in the No.1 position he craves.
However, some twists and turns may lie ahead along the way….
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Irish star Kelleher to Brentford?
Previous reports have suggested Brentford are pushing hard to sign Kelleher as a replacement for Flekken, who has held his own between the sticks since David Raya left for Arsenal.
The 26-year-old is approaching the final year of his Liverpool contract, so the Reds may not be able to demand a huge fee for his services this summer.
Indeed, reports suggest he will cost at least £20m (€23.7m, $27m) but much more than that may be a stretch.
He does have undoubted pedigree, though. On the 67 occasions he has been called upon to play in Liverpool’s first-team, since his debut in the 2019/20 season, the 6ft 2in player has rarely made errors in goal.
But having one of the world’s best keepers in Alisson ahead of him in the pecking order was always going to be an insurmountable challenge. Now he has the opportunity to be a number one elsewhere.
Conversely, Flekken, 31, has gone from a player who had a shaky start at Brentford to one who is now in the Netherlands squad and is seen as a top Premier League goalkeeper. He will now compete with veteran Lukas Hradecky for Leverkusen’s number one spot.
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