TBR Football can exclusively reveal that Caoimhin Kelleher is close to sealing a move to Brentford.
Brentford have been targeting Kelleher as well as James Trafford as Mark Flekken looks set to join Bayer Leverkusen.
The Irish international has been one of the best second-choice goalkeepers in the Premier League for a number of years now.
But recently, Kelleher expressed his desire to play regular football after lifting the league title after the Reds’ 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace.
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Liverpool close to selling Caoimhin Kelleher to Brentford
TBR Football’s chief correspondent Graeme Bailey has been notified that Liverpool could sell Kelleher to Brentford for a fee of £20 million.
Thomas Frank’s side have given Flekken the permission to hold talks with Bayer Leverkusen, as their new manager Erik ten Hag personally wishes to make the Dutch shotstopper one of his first summer signings.
While Virgil van Dijk called Kelleher “amazing” and Liverpool rate him very highly, they did give the 26-year-old the permission to leave in the summer after not permitting him to do so at the same time last year.
CAOIMHIN KELLEHER STATS AT LIVERPOOL
APPEARANCES 67
CLEAN SHEETS 24
GOALS CONCEDED 79
Giorgi Mamardashvili will be Alisson Becker’s understudy next season.
Liverpool’s plan for Kelleher before he said yes to Brentford move
Graeme Bailey has also revealed that initially, Liverpool’s plan was to let Mamardashvili and Kelleher fight it out for the number two spot but now, the latter looks set to play his football for Brentford.
“This is an ideal move for Kelleher, Liverpool really didn’t want to let him leave. Indeed, I am told there was the prospect of letting Mamardashvili and Kelleher fight it out at one point but that was before Alisson returned to his form as one of the best goalkeepers in the world and talk of him moving to Saudi Arabia is totally discounted now.”
“Now Kelleher finds first-team football at a very good Premier League club – he really thinks he can progress to the next level and there are some at Liverpool who firmly believe that too.”
“Personally, I believe Brentford are getting a major upgrade on Flekken – who at times was a weak link for Brentford in my eyes.”