'Problem': Liverpool have lost control of £30m player's future and he won't sign a new deal - journalist

11/12/2024 08:30 AM

Liverpool have a whole host of contract situations to get resolved over the coming months.

The Reds have famously allowed themselves to get within just seven months of losing Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah for nothing.

However, while that star trio understandably take the headlines, they aren’t the only Liverpool players who could do with penning fresh terms.

Beyond those who have contracts ending in 2025, there are three members of the Liverpool squad who see their deals end 12 months later.

Ibrahima Konate is one of them, but recent reports suggest that Konate will likely sign a new deal to stay at Liverpool far beyond 2026.

Another is Caoimhin Kelleher. And as Kelleher continues to excel for the Reds, it looks like his future is increasingly certain to be away from Anfield.

Caoimhin Kelleher future now out of Liverpool’s hands

For the second season in a row, Liverpool have been hugely thankful to Kelleher.

The 25-year-old has come in for the injured Alisson Becker and picked up where he left off in 2023/24. Liverpool have barely missed a beat with Kelleher in goal.

It comes after a summer in which the Irishman could easily have left. Liverpool valued Kelleher at £30m at one stage of the transfer window, and given his performances since it’s easy to see why.

Though Kelleher stayed in the end, journalist David Lynch says that Liverpool’s subsequent signing of Giorgi Mamardashvili means that the Reds don’t have much hope of their back-up ‘keeper extending his contract.

READ MORE: John O’Shea suggests Caoimhin Kelleher is becoming an inspiration for Ireland

“The problem is with Kelleher, in terms of keeping him, is that I believe he’s only got one year left on his contract at the end of this season,” Lynch tells Anfield Agenda.

“So, Liverpool don’t have a lot of control there and from the player’s side of things it’s very much my understanding that he’s just desperate to get out there now and get playing. He really did want to go last summer.

“It’s not that he hates it at Liverpool and he’s unhappy,” the reporter clarifies. “He’s just ready to go out and be a number one somewhere. And for Liverpool they can’t make the case for him to sign a new contract because they’ve got Mamardashvili coming in, they’ve got Jaros who’s very close to doing really well. There just isn’t the argument there for him to be first choice.”

Caoimhin Kelleher set to leave Liverpool

Following his comments about Kelleher’s contract, Lynch goes on to say he ‘can’t see a world’ in which the Ireland international is a Liverpool player last season.

Given that he’ll have a year left on his deal in the summer, it does feel as though the Reds have missed out on the opportunity to get full value from Kelleher.

However, having stepped in for Alisson so capably, they will perhaps feel as though the Liverpool academy graduate has given his worth in other ways.

Looking at how well Kelleher has done once again this season, there should really be numerous Premier League and European clubs all over him this summer.

With his price-tag set to reflect the fact that his contract is running down and he will not sign another, surely Kelleher will finally get his move.