“I’ve been straightforward” – Kelleher’s ANGRY Response to Liverpool’s Mamardashvili Acquisition

Caoimhin Kelleher has expressed his frustration with Liverpool’s decision to sign another goalkeeper. While on international duty with the Republic of Ireland, the goalkeeper appeared disheartened when asked about his future.

“I’ve been straightforward in the last few years that I want to go and be a number one, play week in week out,” Kelleher stated.

He continued, “The club’s made that decision to go and get another goalkeeper in which, yeah, obviously from the outside looking in looks like they’ve made a decision to go a different direction.”

This statement refers to the recent announcement that Giorgi Mamardashvili will join Liverpool from Valencia at the start of the 2025-26 season, in a transfer worth over £30 million. Mamardashvili gained prominence following his impressive performances for Georgia at Euro 2024, including a surprising 2-0 win over Portugal.

Kelleher elaborated on his ambitions: “My ambition has always been clear and has been clear the last few seasons that I want to go be a number one and play week in week out.” He added, “Sometimes from the outside looking in it looks like maybe that’s 100% my decision and sometimes maybe it’s not always in my hands as well.”

Last season, Kelleher made 26 appearances for Liverpool, recording five clean sheets. Throughout the summer, he was linked with a move to Nottingham Forest, which was ultimately blocked by Liverpool, causing evident dissatisfaction.

Following a strong performance in a 0-2 loss to England, where Kelleher made seven crucial saves, including stops against Liverpool-linked Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane, he received praise from both Irish media and England interim manager Lee Carsley. Carsley described Kelleher as an “excellent goalkeeper” with a “massive future in the game,” comparing him favorably to past Irish goalkeepers like Shay Given.

Kelleher is expected to start in Tuesday’s match against Greece, potentially his best opportunity to showcase his abilities ahead of the January transfer window.

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Joel Matip might rejoin Premier League as interest in free transfer emerges

Joel Matip is now attracting interest from another Premier League club, as he has yet to find a new team since his departure from Liverpool in June.

Matip was one of 11 players released by Liverpool when his contract ended, and he is the only one still deciding his next move.

While Thiago has retired and Adrian, Mateusz Musialowski, and Melkamu Frauendorf have all signed with new teams on free transfers, the 33-year-old Matip has been considering his options.

Bayer Leverkusen had shown interest, but a move to Xabi Alonso’s team seems less likely now that Jonathan Tah will remain at the BayArena past the transfer deadline.

Currently, Matip is drawing interest from West Ham, with Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth reporting that the club is evaluating him as they look for late additions in the centre-back position.

Ex-Sheffield United defender John Egan is another potential target, with Sheth noting that “talks are ongoing with their representatives.”

This interest comes after Kurt Zouma (to Al-Orobah) and Nayef Aguerd (to Real Sociedad) left on loan late in the transfer window, leaving Julen Lopetegui with only three senior centre-backs: Max Kilman, Konstantinos Mavropanos, and Jean-Clair Todibo.

Matip could provide experienced cover, and a move to West Ham would likely ensure him ample playing time.

It remains uncertain whether Matip, who has spent eight years in England, would be open to such a switch. A return to Germany seemed more feasible, and other reports suggested he had offers from Europe and Asia.

With the transfer window closed and no new centre-back added at Liverpool, some fans have even suggested re-signing Matip might be a wise move. However, this seems unlikely given that Joe Gomez remains at the club and Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, and Jarell Quansah are all established key players.