Liverpool want Caoimhin Kelleher stay and Luis Diaz speaks on transfer rumors
- Caoimhin Kelleher has made no secrets about his desire to become a No. 1 keeper elsewhere in the Premier League
- Liverpool value the Irishman as one of the best backups in the world and are reluctant to move him on
- Luis Diaz has spoken about his future with Liverpool
The life of a No. 2 keeper is a hard one. Unlike other positions where you can still make frequent substitute appearances, as a backup keeper, you are firmly planted on the bench barring a catastrophe.
This past season saw Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher cement his status as the best No. 2 keeper in England, if not all of Europe. This only came as a result of a long-term injury to Alisson.
Now, Kelleher wants first team football elsewhere but the club is hesitant.
Liverpool value Kelleher as a key piece, but still set a price tag
Despite the public furor surrounding Kelleher amidst rumors of several Premier League clubs showing interest, the Reds are hesitant to make a move.
Per the Athletic, at the present time, Liverpool have no desire to sell the Irishman. While it is easy to see why the club wants to keep him around, it might prove more strenuous than previous transfer windows.
Last summer Jurgen Klopp was able to convince Kelleher to stay on and then he expereinced his most matches played as a Liverpool player. He shined in the League Cup triumph while also holding the fort down in 10 Premier League matches.
Having said that, if Alisson is fully fit, it might be just minor cup duty again for Kelleher in 2024-25. We can all see he would be better than several keepers that start on a regular basis in the Premier League.
As a result, against their wishes, Liverpool are still a business and have set a £25 million price tag on the keeper.
This would be a sizable fee for any club to pay, but Kelleher is still only 25 and entering the prime of his career. Whoever does sign him could be signing up for him as their No. 1 for the next decade.
Luis Diaz speaks out amidst transfer saga
The Colombian winger has been the focus of several transfer rumors in recent months linking him to PSG and more often, Barcelona.
At 27, it is expected his value might never be higher than it is right now and with the departure of Klopp, the timing was considered at least in line with a move away.
Barcelona in particular have been pushing hard for the move. However, recent comments from Diaz himself while on national team duty might put a damper on those thoughts.
""I'm very happy at Liverpool," he said. "It’s a great team and club, and I always wanted to play there. So, I'm content and very calm about everything. I'm not thinking about anything else; I am focused on the Colombia national team where we are now.""
- Luis Diaz to Gol Caracol
If you are a Liverpool fan this is what you want to hear. However, in this day and age, it is entirely possible this is saying the right thing until a deal seems more plausible.
We'll give him the benefit of the doubt though as he has never truly rocked the boat in his time at Anfield. If he does end up staying though, he will be expected to improve upon his end product as too many times last season it left a little to be desired.
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