Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has been described as “the perfect number two” for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool Premier League leaders.
The Corkman, 25, will continue to deputise for injured Brazil international Alisson in this weekend’s top-of-the-table match against reigning champions Manchester City and Arsenal legend David Seaman believes there is not a better player for the job.
The hugely respected former England NO.1 said: “It’s the sign of a fantastic number two that Caoimhin Kelleher can come in and play his game right from the off.
“He doesn’t need time to get settled in or anything like that – he’s making big saves all the time. He’s the perfect number two.”
Kelleher was one of Liverpool’s stand out stars of their recent Wembley League Cup final win over Chelsea – just as he was in the shoot-out win in the 2022 final – ancd will remain a key player in their quadruple trophy quest.
The Reds’ academy graduate, signed from Ringmahon Rangers aged just 15, is now valued in excess of €30million and Liverpool are bracing themselves from bids from any number of Europe’s leading clubs at the end of the season.
Until, then Seaman is confident Liverpool will remain in safe hands – so long as they defend properly in front of him.
He added: “The worrying part for Liverpool is that him and Alisson are having a lot of work to do – that means their defence is not that tight and they’re giving away a lot of chances. That needs sorting out, but when you’ve got somebody like Kelleher coming in, it’s a brilliant asset for Liverpool to have.
“Then it depends on what he wants to do in the summer. If he’d prefer to leave, then someone like Jurgen Klopp isn’t going to get in his way.
“Obviously, Klopp isn’t going to be at the club at the start of next season, but he’s the type of person to realise and respect how good he’s been to the team and the squad and that if he wants to find a new challenge, he’d probably let him go.”
Sunday’s showdown with City marks the Republic of Ireland international’s only seventh Premier League of the season and 17th in all competitions. He backed up his Wembley heroics with a crucial clean sheet in last weekend’s dramatic win away to Nottingham Forest.
Only Arsenal’s David Raya has a higher clean sheet percentage (38.1%) than Liverpool’s stand-in (33.3%) in the Premier League.
Seaman, talking on his Seaman Says podcast, sponsored by parimatch added: “The saves he made against Nottingham Forest at the weekend was keeping them in the game – one-on-ones and everything. He’s underlined the fact that he’s such a good number two, because every time he’s come in, he’s done so well and shown people what he can do. I think he’s happy to keep doing it too.”
