Since 2019, Liverpool has not acquired a new senior custodian; but, this summer, that appears to be about to change.
Arne Slot new first team head coach of Liverpool Football Club at AXA Training Centre (Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
When it became known that the club did not currently view the signing of a new center-back as an immediate priority, the Liverpool fan base became quite vocal.
Liverpool is keeping an eye on Leny Yoro, the defender for Lille, but this is unrelated to their intended transfer transaction. The Reds will only be in a position to benefit if the Frenchman’s projected transfer to Real Madrid doesn’t happen.
As such, if Liverpool is unable to sign the teenager as is currently expected, then finding a replacement center-back will not be Liverpool’s top priority. Rather, it’s known that club management feel other parts of the team need more urgent support.
Fans will create their own opinions about Liverpool’s current situation. It is definitely a risk if the Reds do go with just four senior center-backs after Jarell Quansah’s outstanding breakthrough season. Joel Matip left the team at the end of his contract, Virgil van Dijk will turn 33 next month and be out of contract the following year, and Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez are both injury prone. After all, they have already been stinged by absences from the core of their backline.
Although this position may change later in the transfer window, it seems Liverpool will put more of an emphasis on adding players to other positions within their first team.
And there is perhaps an obvious place to start – their goalkeeping department.
This season, the Reds’ coaching staff has already seen significant turnover with the departures of Jack Robinson and John Achterberg for Al-Ettifaq. In reaction to the long-serving duo’s departure, Fenway Sports Group appointed Hans Leitert as their head of worldwide goalkeeping. Leitert, in turn, brought on Fabian Otte to head of first-team goalkeeper coaching in Arne Slot’s backroom staff.
However, a portion of the team that hasn’t seen action since the summer of 2019 is about to see a number of changes on the pitch as well.
Saudi Arabia has expressed interest in Alisson Becker; but, the Brazilian, who is presently competing in Copa America, is believed to not be interested in moving to the Middle East at this time. However, he might be the last experienced Reds goalie to remain at Anfield come summertime.
Adrian’s contract with Liverpool expires at the end of the month, and the club has extended an offer to keep Adrian on as their third-choice custodian. The 37-year-old is reportedly nearing a return to hometown club Real Betis, with the agreement reportedly including a “guarantee that he will continue working at the club once he hangs up his boots.” Nevertheless, the player has already acknowledged that he would like to return to La Liga. This information comes from Spanish site ABC.
If Adrian does sign with Betis, he will have an immediate reunion with the Reds as Pittsburgh hosts the La Liga team in the opening game of their preseason tour of the United States on July 27.
After playing as Alisson’s backup for the last four seasons, Caoimhin Kelleher is also anticipated to move on. He helped the Reds win the League Cup for the second time in three seasons last season, making a career-high 26 appearances for Liverpool, including 10 in the Premier League. He is currently 25 years old.
The Irishman has previously made it clear that he wants to go on and look for football with a first team, but he wants to speak with Slot first. The Daily Mail claims that Liverpool will seek £35 million for the goalkeeper’s services, with Nottingham Forest reportedly showing interest in him following the rejection of a January deal.
Should both move, it would likely leave the Reds in need of two new goalkeepers this summer – a No.2 capable of starting when required and an experienced No.3 as back-up. The veteran Alex McCarthy of Southampton, who is out of contract in the summer and has previously been connected to Liverpool, was being mentioned as a potential addition once more. However, according to TEAMtalk, he is expected to sign a new deal at St Mary’s.
Vitezslav Jaros is the next most experienced goalie on the Reds’ roster, therefore Slot might try to promote one of their academy goalkeepers to fill a spot.
The 22-year-old, who is presently playing for the Czech Republic in the 2024 Summer Olympics, had a fantastic half-season loan with Sturm Graz the previous year, helping them win both the Austrian league and cup. Making 21 appearances, such a tenure followed on from temporary swaps to Stockport County, Notts County and St Patrick’s Athletic.
Prior to his departure to Austria, Jaros had served as Liverpool’s fourth-choice previous season. Counting as one of their homegrown players, he was listed in their Europa League squad at Adrian’s expense and named on the bench on three occasions. However, he is apparently drawing interest, with rumours in Austria saying former assistant manager Pep Lijnders would like to bring him to Red Bull Salzburg.
Beyond Jaros, rumours in Poland indicate the Reds have rejected an offer from Vitoria Guimaraes for Fabian Mrozek. The Portuguese side were alleged to want to recruit the Pole on an initial loan agreement, with a view to buy, while Stal Mielec and Cracovia apparently both want to bring the 20-year-old back to Poland.
Making six unused substitute appearances for Liverpool last season, Mrozek has yet to enjoy a loan spell away from the club, with two games in the EFL Trophy against Blackpool and Bradford City the limit of his professional experience to date.
Compatriot Jakub Ojrzynski has already conceded that his own future at Anfield is uncertain, following spent last season on loan with Den Bosch of the Dutch second division. He would make 11 appearances for the club, following prior temporary stints with Radomiak Radom and Caernarfon Town, but the 21-year-old featured just once from December until May after losing his spot.
The Pole is not the only Liverpool goalkeeper to have struggled for game-time out on loan last season. Harvey Davies made 32 appearances for Crewe Alexandra, only to lose his spot in December. The 20-year-old would finish the season out of their matchday squad entirely as they lost in the League Two play-off final to Crawley Town.
Meanwhile, Marcelo Pitaluga joined St Pat’s Athletic on loan in January ahead of the Irish season, which runs until November, commencing in February. A rocky start saw the Brazilian lose his position after his first four league outings, with the 21-year-old featured just once in the Leinster Senior Cup since early-March.
The Brazilian had impressed on loan at Macclesfield in 2022/23, making 26 games and helping Robbie Savage’s club achieve promotion. But an unused substitute for St Pat’s last 19 league games, with the most recent being on June 13, it remains to be seen if Pitaluga will really conclude the Irish season with the club.
Elsewhere on the Reds’ books, Kornel Misciur is highly rated after signing from Hull City in March 2023. But he only turned 17 in April and while he practiced with the first team at times last season, he has yet to step up into the Under-21s.
It is debatable whether any of the aforementioned younger goalkeepers, Jaros alone, have the experience to climb the Liverpool pecking order at this moment. While the young Czech might maybe stake a claim in pre-season if he does not move on, the Reds would need to bring in a quality number two if any of the other starlets were promoted to third choice – like Kelleher’s own initial ascension as a 20-year-old in the 2018/19 season.
It is evident that the department will require significant surgery this summer, if the club do really lose the services of both Kelleher and Adrian. Forced into enforced changes for the first time in five years, it is crucial the club selects the appropriate balance of shot-stoppers to compliment Alisson.
Consequently, Liverpool have a very obvious place to start in the transfer market this summer when it comes to making priority additions.
