Caoimhin Kelleher has always been a Liverpool man, coming through the youth ranks and stepping in when needed for the senior team in recent years.
The 25-year-old goalkeeper has enjoyed big moments both in tournaments as the ‘Cup’ goalkeeper and also in place of the injured Alisson when needed.
He made 26 appearances for the club last season alone, Jurgen Klopp’s final year in charge, mainly replacing the Brazilian when he was out of form.
Kelleher signed a contract extension in 2021 that keeps him at the club for five years, but he failed to secure a place as Alisson’s presumed successor. Instead, the club signed Giorgi Mamardashvili in the summer to take over from the Brazilian going forward.
The move left Kelleher’s future at Anfield uncertain, but he failed to secure a move away from the club last summer.
His failure to return to first-team action has left the Irish international frustrated by a lack of opportunities to see the pitch.
“I think I’ve made it clear over the last few years that I want to be number one and play week in, week out.” Kelleher told the media “The club have made the decision to add another goalkeeper, which from the outside seems to indicate that they have made the decision to go in a different direction,” said the Spanish coach during his time with the national team in September.
“Sometimes from the outside it looks like maybe it’s 100 percent my decision, but maybe sometimes it’s not always in my hands,” Kelleher added, making sure fans know it’s the club’s decision to go in a different direction, not his.
Journalist Graeme Bailey told Liverpool media outlet Rousing the Kop Kelleher was “very frustrated” by the situation, adding “but he’s under contract and that’s the way it is.”
