The fine balance with a second-choice goalkeeper is a player good enough for the first team squad but not good enough to want a move elsewhere as a No.1, parameters that Caoimhin Kelleher looks set to fall outside of very soon.
As reported by James Pearce for The Athletic, Jurgen Klopp may soon have a decision to make on the Irishman: ‘Caoimhin Kelleher is developing into a fantastic goalkeeper. He will undoubtedly be a number one at the top level in the coming years but Liverpool want to hold on to him as long as possible because he’s a brilliant deputy for Alisson. It was a smart move by Klopp giving him the honour of starting the Carabao Cup final and that faith was rewarded.
‘Kelleher is still only 23 so hopefully it will be another year at least before he moves on. The goalkeeping department will have a new look to it this season with Marcelo Pitaluga loaned out and Loris Karius having left on a free. Adrian, Klopp’s third choice, has one more year on his contract’.
The 23-year-old showed in the domestic cup competitions last season that he deserves to be handed more opportunities and his international performances for Ireland have only further demonstrated this.
With Alisson Becker being just 29-years-old himself, it’s unlikely that our No.62 will be happy to wait around for years and so we may soon have to say goodbye.
For this season at least though, we will be blessed with the presence of a very talented young ‘keeper and will be safe in the knowledge that we can rely on him whenever he is needed.