According to the Liverpool Echo, Liverpool are willing to send goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher to Preston – but want assurances over his playing time.
Kelleher, 21, is currently Liverpool’s third-choice goalkeeper. He’s battling away behind Alisson and Adrian at Anfield, but is currently ahead of ex-Preston stopper Andrew Lonergan.
Kelleher made headlines last month with his performance against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup. The Irishman did leak five goals in normal time, but then saved a penalty from Arsenal playmaker Dani Ceballos to win the game.
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Tipped for a bright future by many, including boss Jurgen Klopp, Kelleher needs playing time. He’s played just twice in the Liverpool first team, and Preston have been linked with a loan move for a few weeks now.
The Liverpool Echo now claim that with Preston keen, the Reds are willing to let him go and play. However, there’s a condition to that stance; they want assurances over his playing time.
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Liverpool only want to send Kelleher to a club where he will play regularly, and it’s now up to Preston to decide whether that suits Alex Neil’s side.
Declan Rudd still has his detractors, and Preston may well move for a new stopper. Kelleher has talent, but with no real experience of senior football, it would be a gamble to bring him in and promise first-team action.
Liverpool tend to fine clubs for not playing their loanees often enough. For instance, Training Ground Guru reported that Bristol City had to pay a £200,000 ‘fine’ to the Reds for not using Ryan Kent enough in 2018.
That doesn’t really seem ideal for a team like Preston. There are Preston players who were bought for cheaper than that fine, such as Joe Rafferty, Darnell Fisher, Daniel Johnson and Tom Barkhuizen, which shows how Preston may treat Liverpool’s stance.