I would take Caoimhin Kelleher as number one at Newcastle United – Don Hutchison | OneFootball

Don Hutchison has been talking about Newcastle United, Liverpool and specifically, Caoimhin Kelleher.

What does the future hold for a goalkeeper who is now 26 and a regular starter for the Republic of Ireland, however, in club football that isn’t the case.

Caoimhin Kelleher was man of the match for his team at Wembley in the League Cup Final, keeping the score down as Newcastle United dominated and outclassed Liverpool.

A common problem for goalkeepers is that there is only one place in the team and if there is a clear first choice, especially when you have one of the best keepers in the world in Alisson Becker, then so often the case the number two rarely gets a look in. All 24 Premier League matches when Becker has been available, he has started for Liverpool, no matter what kind of form Kelleher has been in.

Caoimhin Kelleher turns 27 in November and has only started 25 first team league matches in his entire career, that looks all set to change though, according to Newcastle United fan (and former Liverpool and Sunderland player…) Don Hutchison.

Kelleher with just the 10 Premier League starts this season when Alisson Becker has been ruled out, those ten PL games including the classic 3-3 game at St James’ Park, when the Liverpool second choice keeper had no chance with any of the three United goals.

Don Hutchison asked by Golden Panda – ‘Caoimhin Kelleher, Alisson, Giorgi Mamardashvili will all be Liverpool players this summer – do you expect more than one to leave?’

“I think Kelleher will go, to be honest. Alisson will be Liverpool’s number one and Mamardashvili will be the number two.

“It would be really unfair to ask Kelleher to stay, because how do you expect a lad that is so good to be their number three?

“It would be totally unfair and I think he deserves to be number one somewhere.

“I think he goes to Bournemouth and he’s their number one.

“I think he can go to the majority of the teams in the Premier League.

“I mean, I understand that transfer would never happen, but he’s better than what Manchester United have. But I think he’s such a talented goalkeeper.

“I’d take him at Newcastle, he’d be number one there too.”

It looks very likely that Newcastle United will bring a goalkeeper in this summer. Though it remains to be seen whether that will be someone to compete with Nick Pope as back-up and then potentially take over longer-term as number one – 22 year old James Trafford obviously strongly touted as a possibility. Or alternatively, maybe a new number one, as happened when Nick Pope arrived in summer 2022 and Eddie Howe instantly made him first choice ahead of Martin Dubravka.