LIVERPOOL MANAGER Jurgen Klopp has suggested Ireland international Caoimhin Kelleher is unlikely to leave the club this summer.
The 24-year-old from Cork has been the Reds’ second-choice goalkeeper behind Alisson in recent times.
At present, at international level, Kelleher looks unlikely to displace Southampton’s Gavin Bazunu as Irish number one, having made just three appearances in all competitions for the Reds this season, whereas the Dubliner has played in the majority of the Saints’ fixtures.
Recent media reports have suggested he could depart the Anfield outfit imminently in search of regular first-team football, with Tottenham and Brentford among the rumoured suitors.
However, the German coach appeared to contradict this speculation when speaking about Kelleher and fellow backup goalkeeper Adrian.
“Caoimh Kelleher? He has a contract,” Klopp told reporters.
“You want us to say goodbye just in case. No, I can’t see him leaving. It would have to be an extraordinary offer for me to even start thinking about it, I have to say”.
“Adrian, if we don’t say goodbye [already] what would that mean? That he probably stays, but if there is nothing in the papers then it is not decided yet finally.
“We will not do it [say goodbye] just in case, but I have a rather good feeling that we [will] keep working together in that position.”
Klopp also has paid tribute to the departing quartet of James Milner, Roberto Firmino, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita.
All four will leave when their contracts expire next month and are guaranteed an emotional send-off at Anfield against Aston Villa.
All leave as Champions League and Premier League winners and while Firmino and Milner, who arrived in the summer of 2015 a few months before Klopp replaced Brendan Rodgers, have played a greater role, the manager insisted all four had made significant contributions.
“We spoke already with the boys earlier this week about it,” said Klopp.
“It is super-important for us and kind of super-emotional as well for different reasons because we say goodbye to, from my point of view, four Liverpool legends.
“Two of them were here when I arrived – Millie (Milner) and Bobby (Firmino) – and nothing of all the good things which happened in the last few years would have happened without them.
“Bobby, my God, how much I love the guy. It is 100% deserved.
“Millie played an incredible number of games, I think I am the manager he played the most games for in his career, and probably the same for Bobby.
“My English is not good enough to really express my respect for them but that’s the same for Ox (Oxlade-Chamberlain) and Naby, for different reasons.
“Ox was unlucky in moments with bad injuries in absolutely the wrong moment. I remember the (2018 Champions League game) against Roma when he got badly injured and I had no clue how to sort that situation as he was that good and pretty much irreplaceable in that moment.
“Everyone knows we spent a lot of money on Naby and there were a lot of expectations and because of injuries in the wrong moments he couldn’t fulfil all of them but go back and look at the football he could play in his good moments.”
Milner has been heavily linked with a move to Brighton, but the futures of the other three are less clear, although they will not be short of offers.
Klopp added: “I wish them all well and hope they find a place where they are as much respected and needed as here and they find their luck again because they had a lot in the last few years.
“All four won pretty much each available trophy and we love them but it is professional football and nothing is forever.
“There is always a moment and it’s a good moment because it means one chapter will be closed and we can start writing a new one, which is good as well for them and for us.
“I will be forever thankful to them because without them nothing would’ve happened. They were super-important in all they did and that’s the farewell they deserve.”
