Lord of the Dance
Kenny expects Caoimhín Kelleher to move on from Liverpool
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Kenny expects Caoimhín Kelleher to move on from Liverpool

Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny has admitted that he can see Caoimhín Kelleher moving away from Anfield this summer.

Kelleher has struggled for game time this season and has been second choice to the brilliant Alisson Becker. Despite being an able number 2 for Jurgen Klopp's side, Kelleher's desire to play every week seems to be growing and growing.

Clubs like Tottenham and Brentford have been linked with the Cork native, and it is widely expected that Kelleher will be wearing another kit in the Premier League next season.

Despite the links, Klopp claimed last month that it would take an "extraordinary offer" for the club to consider selling the talented Ireland keeper.

"I can't see him leaving. It would have to be an extraordinary offer for me to even start thinking about it," said Klopp in May.

Today, during Ireland's squad announcement, Kenny, who has selected the Liverpool keeper for the Euro qualifiers, said he expected his player to find a new challenge this summer.

“Caoimhin has never let us down," said Kenny to the media at Abbotstown on Thursday. “He’s a very talented goalkeeper. It looks like he’ll be on the move this summer, and it can only benefit him because he needs to play games. Obviously, he hasn't started games this year, and it’s been a problem for him. He’s very, very talented.

“It’s hard to leave Liverpool; it’s such an iconic club, but he’s not so young now. He’s 24, and he needs to play, and he knows that.

“I would fully expect Kelleher to move. It’s not right normally to speak about a player moving, but he’s at the stage where he’s behind probably one of the best goalkeepers in the world, and it’s not going to get any easier.

Kenny also claimed that the 24-year-old needs game time going forward and that Kelleher knows that.

“He can’t afford not playing. He knows that, and he’s known that for a while. It’s not easy. There’s a process you go through with a club like that, and I think it wouldn’t be a surprise for him to move in the summer, and he knows that.

“I think he’s ready to go and play regularly because he needs to. The previous season, they had been successful, winning the Carabao Cup, winning the cup competitions, a lot of matches; they were knocked out early this year, not so much football for him, and he needs it.”

Ireland and Kelleher travel to Turkey next week for a nine-day training camp in Antalya before the squad heads to Athens to face Greece on Friday, June 16. The Irish squad will then return to Dublin for the second UEFA EURO 2024 qualifier of the June window against Gibraltar at the Aviva Stadium on Monday, June 19

Republic of Ireland Squad - Greece & GibraltarGoalkeepers: Gavin Bazunu (Southampton), Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth)

Defenders: Matt Doherty (Atlético Madrid), Mark Sykes (Bristol City), Callum O'Dowda (Cardiff City), James McClean (Wigan Athletic), Nathan Collins (Wolverhampton Wanderers), John Egan (Sheffield United), Dara O'Shea (West Bromwich Albion), Darragh Lenihan (Middlesbrough), Liam Scales (Celtic).

Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Jeff Hendrick (Reading), Alan Browne (Preston North End), Will Smallbone (Southampton), Jason Knight (Derby County), Jamie McGrath (Wigan Athletic), Jack Taylor (Peterborough United).

Forwards: Adam Idah (Norwich City), Michael Obafemi (Burnley), Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion), Troy Parrott (Tottenham Hotspur), Mikey Johnston (Vitória de Guimarães, on loan from Celtic).UEFA EURO 2024 - Fixtures16/06 - Greece v Ireland, OPAP Arena, 7.45pm (21.45pm local time)19/06 - Ireland v Gibraltar, Aviva Stadium, 7.45pm