Liverpool player’s exit now seems inevitable after what he’s reportedly decided behind the scenes | OneFootball

A fresh report indicates that Liverpool will need to prepare to bid farewell to one player who’s made up his mind about whether or not to remain at Anfield.

When it comes to contract renewals, all eyes have been on Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose current deals all expire in June, but it’s not just that trio whose future has been in the spotlight.

Ever since the Reds announced the signing of Giorgi Mamardashvili last August, with the Georgia goalkeeper set to arrive on Merseyside this summer, it’s seemed increasingly likely that Caoimhin Kelleher will move on.

The Republic of Ireland international has been attracting transfer interest from the likes of Chelsea and Newcastle, and those two – along with other prospective suitors – might just have been given huge encouragement in their pursuit of the 26-year-old.

Kelleher unwilling to sign Liverpool contract extension

According to Football Insider, Kelleher is unwilling to sign an extension to his current contract at Liverpool, which expires in June 2026, and will push to leave Anfield at the end of this season.

The aforementioned clubs from Tyneside and west London continue to hold an interest in the goalkeeper, who despite impressing during two spells when deputising for the injured Alisson Becker over the past year has been unable to dislodge the Brazilian on a regular basis.

(Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

Kelleher exit seems inevitable, but Liverpool must reap a fair fee for him

As much as we’d hate to lose a netminder of Kelleher’s quality, it’d also be unfair to continue standing in the way of his exit when he’s clearly good enough to be a first-choice option in the Premier League, and not just for a lower-half team who are merely trying to avoid relegation.

He’s been remarkably patient in biding his time behind Alisson, but having turned 26 last November, the Irishman is well beyond the categorisation of future prospect, and he won’t want to squander his career warming the bench in the home dugout at Anfield.

If Liverpool are to cash in on him later this year, they should be able to reap a substantial fee for him, given his exploits domestically and in the Champions League, famously saving a penalty from Kylian Mbappe in the Reds’ victory over Real Madrid earlier this season.

We couldn’t blame Kelleher for wanting to establish himself as a fixed starter elsewhere, something which is even less likely to happen on Merseyside once Mamardashvili arrives in the summer, but it’ll be hard to say goodbye to someone who’s continually risen to the challenge of deputising for argubaly the world’s best player in his position.

If the Cork native is to leave in a few months’ time, it’s imperative that LFC only sell him for his true worth. At least that’s an area where the club have excelled in recent years.