Caoimhin Kelleher: Ready-Made No 1 for Chelsea or Newcastle

Shay Given has seen enough. In his eyes, Caoimhin Kelleher is no longer the promising deputy tucked in behind Alisson at Liverpool. He is a ready-made No 1 – and a goalkeeper who could change the face of Chelsea or Newcastle’s season if either club moves decisively this summer.

The former Republic of Ireland and Newcastle goalkeeper has been watching Kelleher closely at Brentford and believes the Irishman has crossed the line from prospect to proven starter.

“Could Chelsea or Newcastle come in for Kelleher this summer? Possibly,” Given told BOYLE Sports. The catch, as he sees it, lies back at Anfield. “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.”

Liverpool’s dilemma

Liverpool’s goalkeeping picture remains dominated by one man. Alisson is still the undisputed first choice, the benchmark for any challenger. That reality shapes everything.

“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. It is a blunt assessment of the logjam in goal on Merseyside. As long as Alisson holds the gloves, any returning understudy risks standing still.

That is why Kelleher’s form at Brentford has become so significant. He has shown he can handle the rhythm and scrutiny of playing every week, not just the occasional cup tie. He has shown, in Given’s view, that he is beyond the point of waiting.

Chelsea’s restless search for stability

If there is one elite club that screams out for a calmer presence in goal, it is Chelsea. The London side have spent heavily and repeatedly on the position since 2018, yet still walk into another season with questions hanging over their No 1.

Given admits he likes Robert Sanchez, but patience has been tested.

“I stuck up for him a lot last season but he does keep going over old ground with some of the mistakes he makes,” he said. The frustration is obvious. Sanchez can look world-class one minute, then chaotic the next. “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.”

That volatility has left Chelsea exposed. They want a keeper who settles a defence, not one who sends pulses racing every time he charges from his line.

“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,” Given admitted. For him, the solution is clear and urgent. “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 decision looms. “Xabi Alonso is in place now and he might have seen enough from Robert Sanchez. I’m not sure. I definitely think Newcastle and Chelsea want the strength in that position and Kelleher would be a good signing for either of them.”

Newcastle’s next step

Newcastle, another of Given’s former clubs, are also on the lookout. Their rise under new ownership has been built on big calls in key positions. Goalkeeper is next in line.

“I think Keller would be well-suited for Newcastle right now. I think he'd be well suited for Chelsea too,” Given said. The attraction is obvious: a keeper entering his prime, already used to Premier League tempo, and with the temperament to cope with pressure at clubs where expectations are climbing fast.

Newcastle need reliability as they push to stay in the European conversation. Chelsea need calm in the storm. Kelleher, in Given’s mind, ticks both boxes.

Mamardashvili vs Kelleher

Liverpool have already moved in the market, bringing in Georgian international Giorgi Mamardashvili. The signing raised eyebrows and excitement, but Given is not convinced the new arrival is the long-term heir to Alisson.

“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.

His conviction about Kelleher, by contrast, has only hardened. “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.”

That familiarity with Liverpool’s demands, and the evidence of his season with the Bees, give Kelleher a profile that few young goalkeepers can match.

Calm in the chaos

What really wins Given over is not the highlight-reel saves, but the way Kelleher carries himself.

“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 said. “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 unflappable streak is exactly what Chelsea crave after years of turbulence in goal. It is what Newcastle need if they are to keep building without losing their defensive base.

Kelleher’s year at Brentford has underlined that he can live with the scrutiny. “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,” Given said. Regular football has hardened him, sharpened him, and exposed him to a different kind of strain.

“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 work continues. “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.”

The question now is not whether Kelleher is ready. Given is convinced he is. The question is which club will trust him with the gloves – and how long Chelsea and Newcastle can afford to wait before someone else does.