Liverpool expert David Lynch believes that Alisson Becker's proposed exit from Anfield could be accelerated if the 32-year-old's injury problems continue to worsen in the coming months.
The Premier League and Champions League winner has become increasingly plagued by injuries over the past couple of years, most recently suffering a hamstring problem during last weekend's 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Alisson remains the club's undisputed number one under Arne Slot, but over the summer, Liverpool struck a £29m deal for Valencia and Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who will be integrated into the first-team ranks next summer.
There is a consensus that Mamardashvili will eventually succeed Alisson as Liverpool's number one, and Lynch - speaking to Sports Mole - believes that the Reds have learned from their midfield mistakes regarding the goalkeeping situation amid claims that the Saudi Pro League are pursuing a move for Alisson.
"I think [Alisson's injury record] is definitely a factor in the Mamardashvili situation. They really don't want to end up in a situation as they did with the holding midfield, where it's just been a problem for so long. It was a case of getting ahead of that," Lynch said.
"Definitely a factor there is not just the Saudi interest in Alisson, which is a factor and definitely Liverpool know that that could turn into something at some point and they want to get ahead of that, and also knowing that Kelleher wants to go and play first-team football elsewhere, and that is probably likely to come before Alisson departs. But also, yes, the injury situation because ultimately he gets an awful lot of hamstring injuries for a goalkeeper.
"It feels unusual for a goalkeeper to get so many muscle injuries, and the fact is, once you get one, it does start to become a longstanding issue there. The best indicator of future injury is past injury, and when you get a hamstring one, even for a player who doesn't spend the game sprinting about, that is likely to be something that plagues him for the rest of his career.
"So, they've got to be careful about that and want to get ahead of having any long-term issues. And I guess there's a chance if these become even more frequent... I would have said at the start of the season, OK, Alisson is definitely going to be here this season, you would hope he will be here the season after that, and then maybe when he gets down to his final year, that's when the talk of the Saudi money and whether Liverpool are better sort of cashing in at that point, that's when that discussion would happen.
"But there's every chance if these injuries become more frequent, it expedites it. And we're talking about at the end of the summer. If that is the case, then Liverpool have already boxed that issue off, they've already got ahead of it with Mamardashvili. And in the meantime, they've got a fantastic backup in Kelleher.
"I know there was some criticism of the move over the summer - it's not holding midfield, it's not what Liverpool need - but it just shows you they've put themselves in such a comfortable position with it now, and it's a great place for them to be. I think it was a really, really smart move."
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Could Kelleher stay at Liverpool due to Alisson injury problems?
During Alisson's two-month layoff with a thigh problem last season, perpetual backup Caoimhin Kelleher took his opportunity with both hands and played a starring role in between the sticks, only to drop back down to the bench upon the South American's return.
After Liverpool reportedly blocked Kelleher from leaving the club in the summer transfer window, the Republic of Ireland international publicly stated that he was desperate to become a number one elsewhere and had made his intentions "clear" to Liverpool.
Kelleher's contract runs until 2026, but Lynch expects his agent to be "working his socks off" to secure his exit next summer, especially as there is no real expectation for Alisson to depart, adding: "I would be surprised if Kelleher were to stay beyond this season. I was surprised that he stayed this summer. I just think it's incredible that nobody's gone in for him at the price because he's absolutely worth it.
"And I think that the Mamardashvili signing is basically a kind of a promise to him that, look, once Alisson goes, it might be this summer, it might be the summer after, you're going to come in and be our number one, and we believe in you. That's the conversations that happened around that.
"The expectation with Kelleher is that he wasn't going to wait around until any decision was made on Alisson. He wants to get out at the first possible opportunity to go and play first-team football.
"I don't expect that to come in January - I think Liverpool would like to keep hold of him for the remainder of this season - but then when next summer comes around, his agent will be working his socks off to have a move lined up and a bid to come in that Liverpool deem acceptable. So regardless of what happens with Alisson and Mamardashvili and the decision made there, I do expect Kelleher to depart next summer.
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"No expectation" Alisson goes next summer as Liverpool's Kelleher 'surprise' revealed
"I think it's just founded on the idea that Liverpool know he is going to go in the next season or two, probably next summer. That is seen as the likeliest outcome. Liverpool were quite surprised this summer that they didn't have greater interest in him.
"Their fee that they put on him was around £25m, which I think is entirely reasonable when you think of some of the fees that other goalkeepers have gone for. The example that was used to me by sources is James Trafford for £19m to Burnley. They didn't have anywhere near the level of experience that Kelleher did at both top flight and in the League Cup, which he's won twice, which is incredible for a backup goalkeeper.
"So I don't think Liverpool priced him out of the move - maybe the right clubs didn't need a goalkeeper - but it's clear that he is worth that, and Liverpool should hold out for it. The thing is that Kelleher is quite keen to go now. It's not the case he's ripping things up, he's not happy to be at Liverpool or whatever, but he's just ready to play first team football now, and they know that.
"It was possible that he went this summer; it's even more possible that he goes next summer now. He's just not willing to wait around for when Alisson decides to call it a day at Liverpool. I know, with the Mamardashvili signing, people think that means maybe Alisson's off next summer, but there's no real expectation around that. He's still got quite a bit contract left - I think three years at this point, and there's every chance that he's still here for at least another couple of seasons, maybe even goes to the three and rides out his entire contract.
"What Liverpool are trying to do with that signing is get ahead of it, but they also know that Kelleher is very unlikely to be around at the time that Alisson is ready to move on. They've ended up in a situation where it would have been nice if the transition could have been Kelleher coming in, and there's belief in him at Liverpool, that he's good enough to absolutely be the one who does that, but the timing just isn't right.
"That's why they've had to get ahead of that goalkeeping issue, and make that signing. And the likelihood is then that if you do another season with Alisson after this one, Mamardashvili goes out on another loan, and then it starts to become a conversation about when he comes in.
"It's an interesting one, because it's not anything that Liverpool fans maybe thought that needed to be done going into this summer that's just been, but Liverpool don't want to find themselves in a situation like they have with the number six position, where it's three summers in and you still haven't been able to sign someone for that position that you need. They want to get ahead of those problems now, now they've got this new structure in place, and I think Mamardashvili is a very good signing on that front."
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Will Liverpool see more of "disappointed" Vitezslav Jaros amid Alisson injury?
When Alisson trudged off at Selhurst Park last weekend, Liverpool were without regular number two Kelleher due to sickness, allowing third-choice Vitezslav Jaros to come in for an unexpected debut after he was "disappointed" not to leave on loan this summer.
The 23-year-old helped the Reds keep a clean sheet in the dying embers of the contest, and Lynch is hopeful that Jaros will at least be seen in the EFL Cup fourth-round clash with Brighton & Hove Albion on October 30 if Kelleher is to stand in for Alisson in the Premier League.
"Slot said a couple of weeks ago, kind of unprompted actually: 'Look, we've got three very good goalkeepers at this club' and they've obviously been really, really, really impressed with Jaros. And I think he showed why when he came in," Lynch added.
"There was one little shaky moment, I think maybe his first save, but then after that, some of the claims, coming out really confidently and using the ball well. There was one moment he dives out to grab one at the edge of his box and Van Dijk's all over him congratulating him. Obviously he knew that was a big moment for him and it just showed such confidence, so great to see that.
"And also fascinating that he seems to have a Warrington accent as well, if you've seen his post-match interview, did not expect that at all, to be honest! But it looks like Liverpool got another good back-up there.
"The expectation is that Alisson is going to be out until at least the next international break, and if that's the case, I would love to see Jaros get another opportunity in the League Cup if Kelleher is going to be the man between the sticks, because I think in that little cameo there, he helped Liverpool to three points.
"He was disappointed to stay instead of getting a loan move this summer, to be honest. So it would be nice to see him rewarded for sticking around with some minutes in the League Cup because he showed, I think, that he's good enough to do that."
An Alisson-less Liverpool return to action at home to Chelsea on October 20, bidding to maintain or increase their one-point lead over Liverpool and Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.
Ben Knapton
