'Deal agreed' - West Ham and Leeds United beaten to signing of 'outstanding' and 'fantastic' star

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher has been a target for several Premier League clubs this summer, and it appears we now know his destination as Brentford have reportedly agreed a £12.5m fee - rising to £18m with add-ons - for the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper.

The Bees were in need of a new goalkeeper after reports of Mark Flekken moving to Bayer Leverkusen intensified, and they have moved quickly to secure 26-year-old Kelleher amidst rival interest from the likes of West Ham United and Leeds United. The reported fee is lower than the “excess of £20m” sum Liverpool were previously reported to be demanding for Kelleher. Sky Sports reported West Ham and Leeds’ interest as late as last week as they looked to make a move but have been denied by Brentford.

This will not be the first time that Brentford have done business with Liverpool in recent seasons, as Fabio Carvalho and Sepp van den Berg on permanent transfers from the Reds last summer.

Brentford have pulled off a coup to sign Kelleher

This is a very good bit of business by the Bees. Especially considering the fact that they have almost halved the initial asking price they will be paying for a top-quality goalkeeper who could start for the majority of teams in the Premier League. Rarely is a number two goalkeeper as ready for top-flight football as Kelleher is, and he has proven that when called upon for Liverpool in recent years.

Kelleher is also primed for a decade at the top, still relatively early in his goalkeeping career at the age of 26. With 67 appearances for Liverpool including 25 in the Premier League, he has experience but yet a lot of time to take his career to the next level. This could prove to be a masterstroke by Thomas Frank and Brentford, and that is only backed up further by the sheer number of clubs who were interested in Kelleher’s signature - Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Chelsea, West Ham and Leeds to name just a few.

But a move to Brentford has been chosen as the right one, and it makes perfect sense why. Fabrizio Romano has reported that Kelleher will also complete his medical with the Bees as the transfer edges towards completion.

Kelleher hailed for his displays with Liverpool

After Kelleher made six saves in a Champions League game last season, Former Liverpool star Steve McManaman said: “It's almost disrespectful calling him a number two, because of course, he does play second in command when Alisson is fit, but he's played too many games now to be associated as one. He's an outstanding goalkeeper, outstanding when called upon."

Following a clean sheet in a 2-0 win over Manchester City back in November, Kelleher was on the end of praise from Virgil van Dijk - who said: “Fantastic goalkeeper, fantastic human being. It’s never easy to be a back-up goalkeeper, but obviously in his case he has an unbelievable, amazing goalkeeper in front of him. But obviously the time that he has been playing, he has been absolutely outstanding.

“I really enjoy looking at him, seeing him, how much he has improved and played with confidence. I remember one of his first games when he won us a penalty shoot-out. He’s come from a long way as well and he’s an amazing goalkeeper.”