Chelsea 'plot shock move for Liverpool star' who could be available for a transfer fee in the region of £35m
- Chelsea are reportedly keen to sign Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher
- The 25-year-old has twice shone for the Reds in EFL Cup finals against Chelsea
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Three players have moved directly from Liverpool to Chelsea during the Premier League era.
Yossi Benayoun was the first in 2010, followed by Fernando Torres and Raul Meireles the following year.
Chelsea are reportedly now keen to raid Anfield again by making a move for Reds goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
According to The Sun, Liverpool are reluctant to sell Kelleher to a direct rival but would still likely accept an offer in the region of £35million.
However, Mail Sport understands Chelsea are not looking at Kelleher and feel they have a strong future with Robert Sanchez, back-up goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen and incoming Mike Penders from Genk.
Kelleher has made no secret of his desire to be the first-choice goalkeeper somewhere after spending the past five and a half seasons as a back-up option behind Alisson Becker.
Chelsea are reportedly keen to sign Liverpool and Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher
Twenty-five-year-old Kelleher (top left) has enjoyed a run of starts for Liverpool recently
But he will soon resume his role as back-up to Brazilian stopper Alisson Becker (pictured)
Sanchez and Jorgensen are currently battling it out to be Enzo Maresca's No 1, while Marcus Bettinelli, Djordje Petrovic, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Penders, Gabriel Slonina, Luke Campbell, Ted Curd and Teddy Sharman-Lowe are all also under contract with the Blues.
Kelleher has featured in eight matches for Liverpool so far this season but his game time is set to be significantly reduced once again as Alisson is poised to return following an injury lay-off.
Cork-born Kelleher is at least first choice for his country.
He won the 20th senior international cap of his Republic of Ireland career on Sunday night in a 5-0 defeat by England at Wembley.
That was Kelleher's third career appearance at Wembley, where he has previously starred in two EFL Cup final victories over Chelsea.
Former Ireland stopper Shay Given believes that Kelleher has proven that he is good enough to be the first choice somewhere in the Premier League.
Given told The Mirror: 'Caoimhin played 26 games last season and in that time he showed that he has the talent to be a No 1 in the Premier League.'
But he turns 26 later this month and, if I am brutally honest, he needs to get away from Liverpool if he wants that to happen.
Kelleher has twice starred against Chelsea in Carabao Cup finals at Wembley in recent years
On Sunday night, Kelleher played at Wembley in Ireland's 5-0 Nations League loss to England
'Kelleher would have been disappointed to hear [Arne] Slot state publicly that Alisson will always be his first choice keeper because everyone wants to go into training every day with the belief that they are fighting for a place in the team.
'Every professional footballer has to have that hope that if they get a place in the team and perform well then they will keep the jersey. Caoimhin hasn't got that.
'It has been made clear to him that he will always be behind Alisson - and let's be honest he is up against a guy who is one of the best in the world.
'Caoimhin turns 26 later this month. He's done his time at Liverpool. That's no disrespect to a brilliant club but they are now starting to think that they can't hold Kelleher back for much longer because he is a quality player.
'Maybe Caoimhin has been too nice about it up to now because sometimes you do have to force the issue. That isn't a nice situation. He has been very loyal to Liverpool and he won't want to upset the fans.
'But at the same time, you only have one career, one life and one opportunity to make the most of what you've got. Ten years down the road he could be 36 and people are talking about him as being over the hill.'
Liverpool currently sit top of the Premier League table, having taken 28 points from their first 11 fixtures under new manager Slot. Meanwhile, Chelsea are third with 19 points.
Kelleher helped Liverpool beat Chelsea 2-1 at Anfield in October. The two teams will meet again at Stamford Bridge in May.
