Alisson Becker’s imminent return from injury means Caoimhin Kelleher’s latest run in the Liverpool pool first team could be over.
The 25-year-old has been excellent for the Reds in the past few weeks — and put in a man-of-the-match per- formance as the Republic of Ireland beat Finland 1-0 on Thursday.
He saved Joel Pohjanpalo’s penalty and kept out Robin Lod’s follow-up in the Nations League win at Aviva Stadium. Afterwards, former Republic of Ireland striker Kevin Doyle said on RTE: “I think in five or six years he is going to be in the to pone or two goalkeepers in the world.
“He’s that good at everything he does. He has got everything in the locker. He ticks every box. If he can get himself playing I feel he’s going to be the top man.”
Kelleher is often called the best back-up keeper in the world — and nearly always performs when he gets his chance.
He has only conceded five goals in his eight games for Arne Slot’s Liver- pool side this season.
But if Alisson stays injury-free for the rest of the season, Kelleher is likely to have just a handful of Carabao Cup and FA Cup games.
And with Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili joining next summer, Kelleher might not even be second choice if he stays.
Alisson sustained a hamstring injury during Liverpool’s win over Crystal Palace on October 5 and has not played since.
The Brazilian, 32, has been Liverpool’s number one since his £66.8m move from Roma in 2018 - playing 271 times and win- ning the Champions League and Premier League.
At another club, against anoth- er goalkeeper, Kelleher might have hoped four clean sheets in eight games would be enough to keep his place.
But Liverpool boss Slot has made it perfectly clear that is not an option.
“Alisson is, and will be, our first goalkeeper if he is fit,” Slot said after Liverpool’s win over Aston Villa — in which Kelleher made some fantastic saves.
“Caoimhin has done outstand- ing last season and this season again as well. But the moment Alisson will be fit, he will be our first goalkeeper.”
However, Liverpool legend John Aldridge, writing in a Liverpool Echo column, does not think it should be such a straightforward decision.
“Caoimhin Kelleher has been magnificent and I actually think Arne Slot has got a really big decision to make in the next few weeks. Once Alisson is fit, I don’t think it’s fair if Kelleher gets demoted to the bench,” said the former Republic of Ireland striker.
“I think he’s been absolutely first- class. He’s been faultless with every- thing he has done in the games, and I think [Alisson] will be looking at it and be embarrassed if he went back in because he’s done such a good job.”
But Slot’s quotes tell us that decision has already been made.
Does Kelleher have to leave Liverpool?
It has always felt like Kelleher would eventually have to move on — un- less he kept waiting for Alisson, who is seven years older than him, to decline or leave.
But the Irishman’s hand effectively seemed to be forced out in August when Liverpool agreed to sign Valencia and Georgia goalkeeper Mamar dashvili, now 24, in a deal worth up to £29m next summer.
That could drop Kelleher, who joined the club aged 16 from Cork side Ringmahon Rangers, to third choice.
“I’ve made it clear in the last few years that I want to go and be a num- ber one and play week in, week out,” said Kelleher in September.
“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.”
Even if Liverpool surprisingly sold Alisson, who has 18 months left on his deal with the option for another year, Kelleher would likely remain second choice, this time to a younger goalkeeper.
Liverpool have turned down bids from Nottingham Forest in the past year, while Celtic have also been strongly linked.
Last month, former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given told BBC Radio 5 Live: “He isn’t getting any younger. Each game that goes by where he doesn’t play, he will never get back. “He has only got one career, one life and one opportunity at being a top goalkeeper.”
Kelleher’s recent run in the team seems to have proved he is good enough — but he will now face an- other spell on the sidelines with Alisson’s return.
In October, former Liverpool goal- keeper Sander Westerveld told BBC Radio Merseyside:
“Alisson is the best in the world. I think this is a moment for Kelleher to show the world what he’s capable of. He will probably leave at the end of the season.”
How much football has Kelleher played?
Goalkeepers bloom later than out- field players — but Kelleher, who did not go in goal until he was 14, has not played nearly as much football as he ideally would have.
Not having any loan spells has not helped matters. He has played 20 league games and 55 matches in total for Liverpool — plus 19 times for the Republic of Ireland.
He only became the Republic of Ireland number one after an injury to Southampton’s 22-year-old Gavin Bazunu, who has played 162 matches for four different clubs.
Kelleher is older than incoming Reds keeper Mamardashvili, who has played 178 club matches, and even It- aly’s Gianluigi Donnarumma — who has played 402 times for AC Milan and Paris St-Germain.
Kelleher turns 26 before Liver- pool’s next game. By that age Joe Hart had played 194 times in the Premier League, with David de Gea, Ian Walk- er and Aaron Ramsdale all playing more than 150 times.