Ireland’s goalkeeper, Caoimhin Kelleher, has revealed his willingness to leave Liverpool in pursuit of consistent first-team opportunities. The 25-year-old, who started in Ireland’s 2-0 Nations League loss to England on Saturday, faces a challenging situation at Anfield. Currently, Kelleher is Liverpool’s backup goalkeeper behind Alisson Becker and will further drop in the pecking order with the arrival of Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia in 2025.
Kelleher expressed his disappointment over Liverpool’s signing of the Georgian international, hinting that it could be time for him to move on. “I made it clear in the last few years I want to go be a number one and play week in, week out,” he told reporters on Monday. “The club made the decision to get another goalkeeper. From the outside looking in, looks like they have made a decision to go in another direction.”
Kelleher’s ambition to become a regular starter is well-documented. “My ambition has always been clear the last few seasons that I want to be a number one,” he stated. However, he acknowledged that his future is not entirely in his hands. “Sometimes from the outside looking in, it looks like it is 100 per cent my decision but at times it is not always in my hands.”
Despite being Liverpool’s second choice, Kelleher has proven his worth. He is a two-time League Cup winner with the Reds, notably scoring in the penalty shootout against Chelsea in the 2022 final. He also capably filled in for the injured Alisson last season, making 26 appearances in total.
Nottingham Forest reportedly submitted multiple offers for Kelleher before the current season, but Liverpool rejected them. When asked about his potential summer departure, Kelleher said, “My mission was to go out and play, and be a number one. It has been reported that Liverpool had rejected a few bids as well. It is not always in my hands to make the decision. My ambition is to prove I am good enough to play week in, week out.”
