Caoimhín Kelleher has admitted he may have to leave Liverpool to achieve his dream of becoming a first-choice goalkeeper. The 25-year-old, who started for the Republic of Ireland in Saturday’s 2-0 Nations League defeat by England, is the No 2 at Anfield but with the Georgia international Giorgi Mamardashvili due to arrive next summer, his future appears to be up in the air.
“I made it clear in the last few years, I want to go be a No 1 and play week in, week out,” Kelleher said before Ireland’s game against Greece on Tuesday. “The club made the decision to get another goalkeeper. From the outside looking in, it looks like they have made a decision to go in another direction.
“My ambition has always been clear the last few seasons that I want to be a No 1, playing week in week out. Sometimes from the outside looking in, it looks like it is 100% my decision but at times it is not always in my hands.”
Kelleher, a two-time Carabao Cup winner with Liverpool, deputised ably for Alisson last season after the Brazilian sustained a hamstring injury, and made 26 appearances in total. He was linked with a move in January and again during the summer, when Nottingham Forest reportedly had a series of bids rejected.
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Asked how close he came to leaving during the summer, Kelleher said: “My mission was to go out and play, and be a No 1. It has been reported that Liverpool had rejected a few bids as well.”