WHEN LIVERPOOL MADE Alisson the most expensive goalkeeper in world football by signing him for €75 million from AS Roma in the summer of 2018, they were buying a ready-made star to become their No.1.
The Brazil international wasn’t simply a young prospect that was emerging and therefore worth taking a risk on because he was in demand, nor was he a veteran stop-gap worth the significant outlay for a couple of seasons guaranteed consistency.
Liverpool needed that instant hit, a fact that was clear long before that season’s 3-1 Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid highlighted Loris Karius’ deficiencies at the very top level.
Jurgen Klopp’s side conceded an average of one goal every game in the Premier League during the season before Alisson arrived.
The following campaign that total dropped to 22, the €80m arrival of Virgil van Dijk the year before also a crucial factor in the dramatic improvement.
But Alisson’s presence is what seemed to make Liverpool an instantly more assured, commanding side.
He was still only 25-years-old; the same age as Caoimhín Kelleher is now.
Klopp has been consistent in his praise of the Republic of Ireland international, labelling him the best No.2 goalkeeper in world football and, most recently, hailing his performance after standing in for the injured Alisson during last weekend’s 4-1 win over Brentford.
“Outstanding”, Klopp said. “I don’t know exactly who is the number one [goalkeeper] in Ireland, but if they have a better goalie than him, I have to say ‘respect.’ He is outstanding, this year we gave him more games than he had previously.
“It is well deserved as we need him, and we need him with rhythm. Now the situation with Ali shows that makes absolute sense. We will see how long Ali is out, but Caoimh is exceptional. Today he was, wow. It was an A-plus performance.”
Kelleher has played more games this term than in the last two combined and today’s Carabao Cup final with Chelsea will likely bring his tally to 16 appearances given Alisson’s season continues to be disrupted by a combination of illness and injury.
Wembley will hold no concern for the former Ringmahon Rangers schoolboy given he scored the winning penalty in a dramtic shootout which Liverpool won 11-10 against the same opponents a couple of seasons ago.
Kelleher’s emergence at a club like Liverpool has naturally brought a spotlight.
The long-term contract he signed in 2021 has two more seasons to run after this one. That adds another element to the factors at play deciding his future.
Ordinarily, you would expect these conversations to be taking place in the background already However, Klopp’s announcement that he will be leaving Anfield at the end of this season has thrown a spanner in the works.
Alisson, too, has a deal that runs for even longer – 2027 – and he is also in the top tier of earners at the club now behind Van Dijk and Mo Salah.
Until Liverpool confirm who their new manager will be from next season on, a state of limbo remains to determine their place under the new regime.
Financial Fair Play constraints may see the decision taken out of the new manager’s hands but, again, seeing as Jorg Schmadtke’s tenure as sporting director has come to an end there is a vacuum there too.
Selling Kelleher would go down as pure profit, with Nottingham Forest already signalling their intent with a bid of £15 million on transfer deadline day last month.
That was rejected out of hand and the situation Kelleher finds himself in now seems to be the perfect opportunity for him to increase that valuation both inside and outside of Anfield.
With Alisson possibly out for another month with his hamstring injury, the Ireland goalkeeper is being required to deliver consistently at a time of the season when Liverpool can win one trophy today, are top of the Premier League in a three-team title race where, and are still in both the FA Cup and Europa League.
His performances, ultimately, may not be a determining factor in staying at the club he’s been at since his teens, but if they continue at the level they’ve been at so far it could be enough to prove to other suitors that he is much, much more than a capable stand-in.
Given what is on the line in each game for Liverpool, how Kelleher deals with the demands during those 90 minutes may also make others sit up and take notice.
It will be seen as a given coming through the ranks at a club like Liverpool that he will have certain technical characteristics, but this run may just highlight some of the intangible qualities that set him apart.