Caoimhín Kelleher GK Brentford b.1998

I was watching the Portuguese cup final over the weekend and could help but think that Sporting would be the perfect club for Kelleher to move to. They had a 19 year old in goals that cost them the game. He was only playing because of injuries. Adan who has been their keeper for a few years is retiring and Israel their 1st choice for most of the season is pretty unconvincing at times. Israel has had a couple of call ups to the Uruguay squad but Kelleher is a better keeper and they way they play football out from the back he would suit their system perfectly.

Genuine question because I don't know much about Portuguese football, but would Sporting have the financial clout to spend upwards of £20m on a keeper, because that's likely what will be needed to buy Kelleher now?

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Originally Posted by Eirambler

Genuine question because I don't know much about Portuguese football, but would Sporting have the financial clout to spend upwards of £20m on a keeper, because that's likely what will be needed to buy Kelleher now?

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Yeah they would, they paid a similar fee for Gyokeres last season, which incidentally might have been the best bit of business done by any team in any league last season. Sporting also paid Braga a 10 million Euro transfer fee to get Ruben Amorim a few years ago, pretty unusual for a manager. They are well able to spend money and they want to have a good go at doing well in Champions League next season.

"I feel like I’ve done my years as a No 2. The ambition now is to be a No 1. I am ready and capable." - Kelleher quoted in the Indo today. Let's hope it isn't just bland press conference-ese

Who needs a keeper in the Premier league? Im not finding too many obvious ones of the top of my head.....

Southampton, Bournemouth, maybe Wolves if Sa leaves.

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Originally Posted by Eirambler

Southampton, Bournemouth, maybe Wolves if Sa leaves.

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Maybe Wolves but Bournemouth's keeper is club captain with 2 years left on his contract....

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Originally Posted by joey B

Who needs a keeper in the Premier league? Im not finding too many obvious ones of the top of my head.....

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Why does it have to be Premiership?

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Originally Posted by Razors left peg

Why does it have to be Premiership?

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Doesnt have to be the Premier League,if he gets a no1 spot on the continent then that would be brilliant too ....

It doesn't have to be the premier league
But there is only a few leagues that will be able to match his salary expectations.

I'm guessing but he would be demanding 50k a week anyway?

Sure, but you'd imagine a club making europe in Spain, Italy, France, or Germany could be good fits too.

If it is the PL you have to look at where Kelleher would be considered an upgrade - and I am just throwing these out there -

Fulham
West Ham
Arsenal
West Ham
C Palace
Chelsea
Brighton
Forest
Bournemouth
Brentford

And the three promoted clubs - the one club he should NOT sign for is Southampton (for the same reasons it was a mistake for Bazunu to go there).

Abroad - a club like Valencia (although their owner is progressively wrecking the club).

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Originally Posted by joey B

Maybe Wolves but Bournemouth's keeper is club captain with 2 years left on his contract....

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Yes but he hasn't been playing well and there's been rumours that the club are interested in making a change in the position. That's part of why Travers got a few games towards the end of the season, another trial for him basically. But I think they'll want a keeper who commands his area better, which neither Neto or Travers are particularly strong at.

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Originally Posted by Jolly Red Giant

If it is the PL you have to look at where Kelleher would be considered an upgrade - and I am just throwing these out there -

Fulham
West Ham
Arsenal
West Ham
C Palace
Chelsea
Brighton
Forest
Bournemouth
Brentford

And the three promoted clubs - the one club he should NOT sign for is Southampton (for the same reasons it was a mistake for Bazunu to go there).

Abroad - a club like Valencia (although their owner is progressively wrecking the club).

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Raya just won the golden glove award with Arsenal, and you've named West Ham twice

Newcastle have been heavily linked with a new keeper (Ramsdale specifically) though I think Pope is fine keeper and it wouldn't be much of an upgrade. Forest tried 3 keepers last season (Turner, Vlachodimos and Sels) - they seem to have settled on Sels.

As others have mentioned most teams seem to be happy enough with their keepers. Chelsea could be a possibility though it would be a battle for the #1.

still think a loan move is a possibility or a sale with a buyback clause. reports today saying Alisson has again rebuffed interest from Saudi and is happy at Liverpool. I do think Liverpool view him as the eventual heir to Alisson.

He's obviously below the elite tier of Alisson, Martinez, Vicario and Ederson. Beyond that, it's just down to individual preference really...

The next tier are all good keepers but I don't think there's a true world class keeper that's a level above Kelleher

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Originally Posted by elatedscum

still think a loan move is a possibility or a sale with a buyback clause. reports today saying Alisson has again rebuffed interest from Saudi and is happy at Liverpool. I do think Liverpool view him as the eventual heir to Alisson.

He's obviously below the elite tier of Alisson, Martinez, Vicario and Ederson. Beyond that, it's just down to individual preference really...

The next tier are all good keepers but I don't think there's a true world class keeper that's a level above Kelleher

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Its been discussed before but I wonder if the fee they could get by selling Alisson might be worth it for them to invest in other areas of the team, given that they have a keeper who can start immediately as his replacement. If Kelleher is 75% as good as Alisson, how much would that affect results for them, when they could probably get 4 times the transfer fee.

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Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Raya just won the golden glove award with Arsenal, and you've named West Ham twice

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Okay - so I made a typo - and Raya is a Brentford player

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Originally Posted by Jolly Red Giant

Okay - so I made a typo - and Raya is a Brentford player

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You should probably take Brentford off your list then
And I didn't say he was an Arsenal player, I said he won the golden glove there

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Originally Posted by Razors left peg

Its been discussed before but I wonder if the fee they could get by selling Alisson might be worth it for them to invest in other areas of the team, given that they have a keeper who can start immediately as his replacement. If Kelleher is 75% as good as Alisson, how much would that affect results for them, when they could probably get 4 times the transfer fee.

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I can see the logic but I don't think I really buy it. The savings are huge. Alisson should command an 8 figure sum, and then wage differences on top of that too. The argument is his value is declining from here on out as he ages - and you're better taking £100m now rather than letting him walk on a free in 2 seasons if he doesn't want to extend. Decline in ability is inevitable, although goalkeeper decline is slightly unique in football, in that there have been a lot of great keepers to stay world class into their late 30s, others peaked very early and declined quickly.

But ultimately, I think, keepers of Alisson's quality basically can't be bought - they come along for an individual club, once in a generation (you'd need to go back to Ray Clemence to find a keeper who was as highly regarded at Liverpool). And in that, a top 3 in the world keeper saves you maybe 10 points over an average keeper, just by making key saves at key moments. And if you look at how the likes of United, Arsenal and Chelsea have tried and failed to upgrade their goalkeeper, spending huge money: Arsenal replacing Cech (Leno £20m, Ramsdale £30m, Raya will be £27m + loan fee of £3m), Chelsea replacing Courtois (Kepa £72m, Mendy £22m, Sanchez £25m, Petrovic £14m), United replacing De Gea (Onana £47m).

I think you basically keep Alisson for as long as he's elite and he's happy at Liverpool. All the data analytics say that, the higher above replacement level (average premier league player) you go, the more you should hang onto that player. Basically, the marginal gains you'd need to make up elsewhere in your team among multiple positions would be so difficult to achieve, when Liverpool already have a quality squad. It's often American bull**** that doesn't really take into consideration the way the team plays. Ronaldo's transfers to both Juve and later United have shown that, a world class player doesn't always improve a team. But goalkeepers again are a bit of an island in that respect. Unless there's a gaping hole in their game (like Joe Hart's inability to use his feet), you can plug in, Goalkeeper A for Goalkeeper B without it having too much of an effect on the rest of the team...

Obviously, if you reckon Alisson is no longer that elite keeper and people are prepared to pay world record prices for him, then you do it - but if I'm Liverpool I'm either trying to find Kelleher a 2 year loan or a sale with a buyback clause after 2 years, when Alisson's contract has come to an end.