Caoimhin Kelleher Thrilled After Sealing £18m Transfer from Liverpool to Brentford

Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has officially left Liverpool to join Brentford in an £18m deal, marking the end of a decade-long chapter at the Merseyside club. Liverpool will initially receive £12.5m for Kelleher, with add-ons expected to raise the total fee to £18m.

The 26-year-old has signed a five-year contract with Brentford, which includes an option to extend the contract by another 12 months. Caoimhin Kelleher is anticipated to take over as Brentford’s first-choice goalkeeper following the exit of Dutch international Mark Flekken, who has transferred to Bayer Leverkusen for approximately £11m.

“I’m buzzing, I’m really happy to be here,” Kelleher expressed. “I don’t think it was very difficult for me to leave [Liverpool]. I believe it was the right time for me to pursue my career as a number one and play every week. Once I knew Brentford was interested, I was genuinely excited about the move and wanted to finalize it quickly.”Caoimhin Kelleher joined Liverpool from Ringmahon Rangers in 2015 and departs having made 67 senior appearances, including 25 in the Premier League. Kelleher, who was a key part of Liverpool’s domestic cup wins, established himself as a calm goalkeeper and was known as Alisson Becker’s reliable backup. Notably, he scored a penalty in the 2022 Carabao Cup final shootout that decided the winner.

Kelleher won two Premier League championships, the Champions League, an FA Cup, two League Cups, and the UEFA Super Cup during his tenure at Liverpool. He played in more than 40 cup matches and kept 24 clean sheets.

Despite his success, Caoimhin Kelleher has been candid about his desire for regular first-team football. He stated last month, “I feel like I’m a number one and I believe I’m capable of playing week in, week out. That’s what I’m aiming for.”

His move to Brentford represents a fresh start and an opportunity for the Irishman to solidify himself as a first-choice goalkeeper in the Premier League. This past season, Caoimhin Kelleher made 20 appearances for Liverpool, ten of which were in the Premier League. However, competition for a starting spot became even tougher with Liverpool set to welcome Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili in July, following a £29m agreement last summer.

Additionally, Kelleher’s previous club, Ringmahon Rangers, will benefit from the transfer due to a 20% sell-on clause included in his original transfer to Liverpool, earning them a significant seven-figure sum.

Kelleher’s transfer marks the second major exit from Liverpool this summer, following former vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold’s £10m move to Real Madrid.