Caoimhin Kelleher makes admission on Liverpool future after failing to seal Anfield exit

Caoimhin Kelleher reckons his performances for last season may have priced him out of the move away from Anfield.

The Irish goalkeeper was outstanding in the 26 games in which he deputised for Alisson Becker in ’s final year at the club - and with the Brazilian once again sidelined for an extended period with a hamstring injury, he now has the chance to show new boss why he’s one of the best back-ups in the business.

Kelleher makes no secret of the fact that he wanted to leave the Merseyside club in the summer - only for the numbers to fail to add up. But he's still desperate to grasp this latest opportunity with both hands.

Kelleher will be between the sticks when Liverpool face He said: “Obviously my intention is to do as well as I can and show my ability. That is where my head is at with the situation. The best thing I can do is go and play well and maybe give the manager something to think about, give him a headache.

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“But it does work both ways. I played so many times last season - and if you do well your valuation goes up because obviously the club is going to want a good profit. I was clear (in the summer) that I wanted to play first-team football, whether that was here or elsewhere. I wanted to be a No.1.

“That was my thought process - but it’s always been my thought process because obviously I am a football player and like every player, I want to play. I’m not going to enjoy myself or be happy sitting on the bench.”

made overtures about taking the 25-year-old on loan. But even when Liverpool agreed a £30million deal to sign Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia, the transfer was structured so that the Georgian keeper will remain in Spain until next season.

Kelleher knows that Alisson’s latest fitness issue means he's back in the shop window. He said: “It comes hand in hand that when you play for a club like Liverpool then other teams will be interested in you.

“I spoke with the manager about the situation. But I was quite clear before he came in - and it was never going to change because the fact is that I am up against Alisson and he’s one of the best in the . He’s always going to be No 1 and he’s always going to play.

“There were other factors, like negotiations with clubs as well as Liverpool needing to be happy. At the end of the day, it just didn’t materialise.

“But it’s not the worst thing in the world to stay at a club like Liverpool. You get opportunities to play because we’re in so many competitions as well. This isn’t the end of the world."

Kelleher has happy memories of facing . He scored the winning penalty when Liverpool beat the Londoners 11-10 in a tense shoot-out in the 2022 Carabao Cup Final.

And he was exceptional when Virgil van Dijk’s late header secured the same trophy against the same team in last season’s final. Kelleher said: “It’s been brilliant every time I’ve played them, to be fair. Two finals, happy memories - and hopefully there will be more.

“Obviously the penalty shoot-out is the main one, but last season was even more enjoyable the way it went with the young lads from the academy coming on. That was special for everyone, backs against the wall and winning in extra time. The first final was the first time I had been in the limelight. It was a good start for my career!

“I have been professional because if I’m not ready I am not doing myself justice. I need to give myself the best chance to play as well as I can. There have been no conversations about the future. That’s for next summer and I’m not thinking about that right now."

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