Kelleher to Brentford: Liverpool accept £18m bid for keeper as Flekken heads to Leverkusen | OneFootball

Brentford have had a bid accepted for Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, with the deal potentially rising to £18 million including add-ons.

The 26-year-old Republic of Ireland international is eager to secure regular first-team football.

His chances at Liverpool were limited by the presence of Alisson Becker, and competition was only set to intensify with the arrival of Giorgi Mamardashvili at Anfield this summer.

Kelleher is entering the final year of his contract and has now been given the green light to leave. He is expected to complete the switch to Brentford in the coming days.

Brentford’s move for Kelleher coincides with Mark Flekken’s impending departure. The Dutch goalkeeper is on the verge of joining Bayer Leverkusen in a €10 million (£8.4 million) deal.

He started 37 Premier League matches for the Bees last season and helped them finish in the top half of the table.

Flekken will link up with fellow Dutchman Erik ten Hag at Leverkusen. He has been appointed as the club’s new manager following Xabi Alonso’s departure.

Kelleher made 10 Premier League appearances and featured in four Champions League matches for Liverpool last season.

He also started in back-to-back League Cup finals, having built a reputation as a reliable deputy and an accomplished penalty stopper.

Speaking after Liverpool’s Premier League title celebrations last month, Kelleher underlined his ambition to become a number one elsewhere.

Kelleher joined Liverpool’s academy from Ringmahon Rangers in 2015 and made his senior debut in 2019. He leaves Anfield having made 67 appearances and earned 22 caps for Ireland.

Liverpool are preparing for life without him. The club agreed a £29m deal for Mamardashvili last summer and are now ready to activate the move.

They have also signed right-back Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen and remain in talks over a €130m transfer for midfielder Florian Wirtz.

Brentford and Liverpool have maintained a productive relationship in recent windows. The Bees signed Sepp van den Berg and Fabio Carvalho on loan from the Reds last summer.