Chelsea & Newcastle United ‘target’ Liverpool star who ‘can be one of the world’s best’ as Maresca eyes fix
Chelsea and Newcastle United are eyeing a move for a Liverpool player to help address a problem position
Chelsea are facing competition from a number of other clubs as they reportedly eye a move for a Liverpool player in the summer transfer window.
The Blues are turning their attention to a Premier League clash at Brighton and Hove Albion on Friday night after they were dumped out of the FA Cup by the Seagulls on Saturday. Bart Verbruggen spilled Cole Palmer’s cross into his own net after five minutes to give the Blues the lead but Georginio Rutter responded with an equaliser seven minutes later.
Kaoru Mitoma clinched what proved to be the winning goal just before the hour as he kept his cool to finish past Robert Sanchez. While the goalkeeper was not at fault for the goals in the FA Cup defeat, he has come in for plenty of criticism this season. Ex-defender William Gallas said recently, via Chelsea News: “Unfortunately for Robert Sanchez, he makes some big mistakes, and he makes them too often. It’s easy to blame the player, but I think Chelsea fans have to blame the sporting director. They have to blame the people who brought him in.”
Chelsea ‘eye’ Kelleher
Chelsea appear to have their eye on a new goalkeeper this summer with TBR Football reporting they are interested in a move for Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher come the end of the season.
Kelleher is behind Alisson Becker in the Anfield pecking order but has been afforded plenty of game-time in recent seasons due to injury problems for the Brazilian. He featured on Sunday as Liverpool were on the wrong end of an FA Cup upset, as they lost 1-0 to Plymouth Argyle via a second-half penalty.
Kelleher’s Anfield future is looking more uncertain after Liverpool signed Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili last summer - with the player to officially join the Reds ahead of the 2025-26 season. Bournemouth and Newcastle United have also been credited with an interest in the Republic of Ireland international while Celtic and Nottingham Forest have been named as long-term admirers.
Kelleher ‘could be one of the world’s best’
Kelleher has made 17 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions this season. Some notable games he has been involved in is the 2-1 win over Chelsea back in October as well as victories over Real Madrid, Manchester City and Aston Villa. He also featured in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal.
After saving a penalty for the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League in November, former Premier League striker Kevin Doyle said on RTE: "I think in five or six years he is going to be in the top one or two goalkeepers in the world. He's that good at everything he does. He has got everything in the locker. He ticks every box. If he can get himself playing I feel he's going to be the top man."
Speaking about his own future, Kelleher said earlier this season: “I’m good enough, and I want to go out and prove it. I’ve made it clear in the last few years that I want to go and be a No. 1 and play week in, week out. The club’s made that decision to get another goalkeeper, and from the outside looking in, it looks like they’ve made a decision to go in a different direction.”