2 months ago
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Caoimhin Kelleher of Liverpool during a training session at AXA Training Centre on September 12, 2024 in Kirkby, England | Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Liverpool’s backup goalkeeper might want to head elsewhere
Liverpool are set to face Nottingham Forest this Saturday, who recently put in a cash-plus-player offer for backup goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher that was rejected as it failed to reach the club’s valuation of £30 million.
Kelleher, who played 10 times last season, spoke about his frustration around playing time to the press in Dublin while on international duty:
“I think I’ve made it clear in the last few years that I want to go and be a number one and play week in, week out. The club have made that decision to get another goalkeeper in as well which, obviously from the outside looking in, looks like they’ve made a decision to go in a different direction.
“So yeah, my ambitions have always been clear and has been clear the last few seasons that I want to go and be a number one. Sometimes from the outside looking in, it looks like maybe that’s 100 per cent my decision but maybe at times it’s not always in my hands as well.”
Of course, Arne Slot was asked for his opinion on his player’s words, and the new Liverpool manager had an excellent response:
“I would be really worried if a player said they didn’t care about playing first team football. At this moment it’s clear Alisson is number one but last year [Kelleher] played many games. He handles the situation really well.”
Slot seems to want his players to be thirsty for more, so expect no tolerance of press feeding frenzies around comments like Kelleher’s — or much made over players upset to be subbed off.
