Caoimhin Kelleher: The Next Big Goalkeeper for Chelsea or Newcastle
Shay Given believes the next big goalkeeping domino of the summer is already in plain sight – and his name is Caoimhin Kelleher.
The former Newcastle and Republic of Ireland No 1 has watched the Brentford loanee closely and is convinced the Irishman is ready to step out from Alisson’s shadow for good. In his eyes, Kelleher is no longer just Liverpool’s dependable deputy. He is a ready-made first-choice goalkeeper for a club with serious ambitions – and Chelsea or Newcastle should be at the front of the queue.
“Transformative” option for Chelsea and Newcastle
Speaking to BOYLE Sports, Given did not dress it up. Asked whether Chelsea or Newcastle could move for Kelleher this summer, he replied: “Possibly. It would depend on Liverpool and whether they can activate any sort of clause to sign him themselves to stop another club picking him up.”
That line cuts to the heart of the situation at Anfield. Liverpool’s goalkeeping picture is still built around Alisson, who remains firmly established as the club’s No 1. As long as the Brazilian stays put, there is a ceiling on what Kelleher can realistically expect on Merseyside.
“A lot will depend on Allison because you wouldn't bring Kelleher back right now if Alisson's staying for the next two seasons,” Given said. From there, he didn’t hesitate to place Kelleher into the frame for two of the Premier League’s most scrutinised positions. “I think Kelleher would be well-suited for Newcastle right now. I think he'd be well suited for Chelsea too.”
Chelsea, in particular, puzzle him.
“Chelsea are the club who have surprised me a little bit by not bringing someone in, and I say that as someone who does like Robert Sanchez.”
Sanchez under the spotlight
Given’s respect for Sanchez’s shot-stopping comes with a clear caveat. The Spaniard’s tendency to mix the spectacular with the chaotic has become a recurring theme at Stamford Bridge.
“I stuck up for him a lot last season but he does keep going over old ground with some of the mistakes he makes,” Given admitted. “He can pull off some unbelievable saves and you think this guy’s the real deal only for him to have a mad rush of blood to the head at the edge of the box and halve someone in two.”
Those “rush of blood” moments have left Chelsea exposed far too often for a side trying to claw its way back towards the top of the table. They have spent heavily on goalkeepers since 2018 without ever truly solving the position. Given is adamant that patience has run out.
“I feel that signing a new goalkeeper is something that could happen at Chelsea this summer, and if it’s not Kelleher maybe it’ll be someone else, but that’s a position they need to strengthen in this window, not the next window, but now.”
With Xabi Alonso now in place at Stamford Bridge, the scrutiny on Sanchez will only intensify.
“Xabi Alonso is in place now and he might have seen enough from Robert Sanchez. I’m not sure,” Given said. “I definitely think Newcastle and Chelsea want the strength in that position and Kelleher would be a good signing for either of them.”
Liverpool’s new arrival and the Kelleher question
Liverpool have already moved in the market, securing Georgian international Giorgi Mamardashvili. On paper, that looks like succession planning for the post-Alisson era. On the pitch, Given is not convinced it closes the door on Kelleher.
“Mamardashvili arrived at Liverpool with a big reputation and he’s done okay so far but I’m still not convinced that he is going to be the future number one after Alisson,” he said.
Kelleher’s body of work at Brentford has swayed him far more.
“I am now even more convinced about Kelleher given he’s proven he can be number one at Brentford and he obviously knows Liverpool inside and out.”
What really stands out to Given is not just the saves, but the temperament.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that he could come back to the club and what I like about Kelleher is that he brings a real calmness to everything he does. He never seems fazed or fluffed up about anything. He could make the best save in the world and just get up like nothing has happened and set about organising his defenders for a corner.”
That contrast is stark. Where Sanchez can look combustible, Kelleher projects control. It is exactly the profile Chelsea have lacked. It is exactly the profile Newcastle crave as they try to stabilise at the back and push on again.
Brentford education, bigger stage looming
Brentford have given Kelleher what he never truly had at Liverpool: rhythm. The grind of playing every week, the responsibility of being the man everyone turns to when the ball is swung into the box in the 89th minute.
“Kelleher’s performances with the Bees have shown he can handle the pressure of elite football,” Given said, before adding his hope that the education continues a little longer. “I think he’ll continue to develop as a player. I hope he stays at Brentford for at least another season. It’ll do him no harm.”
The former Newcastle keeper knows exactly how different that pressure feels.
“He’s proving to everyone that he has what it takes to play regularly every week, and that comes with a different side of pressure than being on the bench and coming in and out of the team.”
Off the pitch, the reports are just as positive.
“He’s already working on other stuff away from the pitch, in the gym and training, to build up his upper body strength to improve and get better, and he will. I only see positive things for the future for Caoimhin.”
A calm answer to Chelsea’s chaos?
Chelsea’s search is clear: more stability, fewer heart-in-mouth moments from their No 1. Newcastle’s is similar, if quieter: a goalkeeper who can anchor a defence built to compete deep into Europe and the domestic cups.
Kelleher, in Given’s eyes, ticks those boxes with room to spare. Calm, battle-tested at Brentford, steeped in Liverpool’s standards, and still with years of growth ahead of him.
If Chelsea truly want to end the revolving door in goal, and if Newcastle want a long-term pillar behind their project, the question may not be whether Kelleher is ready.
It may be how long Liverpool can afford to let someone else reap the rewards of his prime.
