Caoimhin Kelleher hands Liverpool IMPOSSIBLE decision

Liverpool’s goalkeeping situation is becoming stranger and stranger as the season goes by.

Alisson is the Reds’ undisputed number one, having been the best goalkeeper in the world in recent years and possibly the best in the club’s history.

Until now, Caomhín Kelleher has been a great backup option – the “best number-two goalie in the world,” according to Jurgen Klopp.

Having joined Liverpool in 2015 as a 17-year-old, Kelleher has gone on to start in and win two League Cup finals for the club alongside providing a safe pair of hands when Alisson has been unavailable.

He started the season once again on the bench, having revealed he wanted to leave the club in previous transfer windows in search of first team football.

Now Kelleher is back in the starting lineup and is just off the back of a brilliant performance against RB Leipzig in the Champions League.

And it’s led fans to ask whether the Irishman is among the Reds’ greatest-ever goalkeepers – at least in the Premier League era.

Kelleher’s standout performance against RB Leipzig also got a seal of approval from Fabian Otte – Liverpool’s new head goalkeeping coach, who signed for the Reds during the summer as part of Arne Slot’s backroom team.

This latest round of praise along with the fact Kelleher is guaranteed to start in a crucial run of games could have him again dreaming of becoming the club’s first-choice goalkeeper.

Could Kelleher replace Alisson?

Kelleher’s life at Liverpool has been both a blessing and a curse for a goalkeeper who desperately wants to start every game.

On one hand, he has had the chance to learn his trade from one of the best goalkeepers of all time – on the other, his international career has suffered while he’s been sitting on the bench.

In fact, Kelleher has almost been too good for his own good: if he was a slightly worse goalkeeper, he would have left Liverpool a long time ago, found a starting berth at a team towards the bottom of the Premier League or top of the Championship and at least doubled his 18 Ireland caps.

Instead, he’s been in a state of limbo, on the bench until needed and then back there again when Alisson is available.

Whatever happens in the next few weeks and months, the status quo is about to change drastically.

Enter Giorgi Mamardashvili

One of the few transfers Liverpool made this summer was for Giorgi Mamardashvili, forking out a reported £35m to secure the Georgian’s services from next summer.

Mamardashvili was one of the standout performers during EURO 2024, and has expressed his determination to come to Anfield and fight to become the Reds’ starting goalkeeper.

“I was attracted by Liverpool’s project when the club’s representatives met me to sign me,” Mamardashvili told Georgian State TV.

“I will fight for the starting goalkeeper position even if the current goalkeeper does not leave the team.”

Those comments will have piqued Kelleher’s interest, who was disappointed at Richard Hughes’ decision to sign another keeper.

Is this the beginning of the end for Alisson?

After Alisson missed two matches in September, citing calf muscle tightness as the reason for his time away, Liverpool fans hoped that he would be injury-free for the remainder of the campaign.

He was back – momentarily – for games against Wolves and Bologna at the beginning of the month, but fell to the ground during the Reds’ visit to Crystal Palace, pulling his troublesome hamstring.

Alisson is set to be on the sidelines beyond the November international break, making it a possibility that he may not return until early December.

Since joining Liverpool in 2018, Alisson has missed 48 games for club and country through injury or illness.

It’s a poor injury record for a goalkeeper, and is becoming more worrying as the 32-year-old gets older and older.

Alisson, whose contract runs until 2026 (with an option for an extra year), has been linked with a move away from the club in recent months, with Barcelona showing a long-term interest.

A potential move to Saudi Arabia was rejected by Alisson during the summer, who has said that he wants to prolong his career at the club.

“I want to honour my contract and finish my contract here or make a new one,” said Alisson. “Why stay? I am really happy here. My family is happy.”

While a departure seems unlikely at this stage, Liverpool and Michael Edwards are known to be ruthless in the transfer market and could sanction a sale if they believe Alisson can’t be trusted to stay fit.

Kelleher wants to leave

Kelleher has made no secret of his desire to leave Liverpool in search of a starting spot at another club.

“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,” Kelleher said during September’s international break.

“The club’s made that decision to get another goalkeeper and from the outside looking in, it looks like they’ve made a decision to go in a different direction.

“Sometimes from the outside looking in, it looks like that’s 100% my decision but at times it’s not always in my hands.

“It’s been reported that Liverpool have rejected a few bids as well. My ambition is clear that I think I’m good enough and I want to go out and prove it.”

Liverpool rejected a bid from Nottingham Forest during the summer, which would have seen American keeper Matt Turner come to Anfield.

The fluid goalkeeping situation at the club leaves Kelleher in a bind.

If he leaves and Alisson’s injury issues persist, he will have given up the opportunity to fight for starting role he’s been waiting patiently for. If he stays, he could end up third-choice behind Alisson and Mamardashvili.