If the report from the Daily Mail is believed to be true, Liverpool goalkeeper Adrian is closing in on extending his stay for one more year. But the Reds are willing to let Caoimhin Kelleher leave on loan for first-team football, whereas outcast Loris Karius is likely to be offloaded on permanent terms following yet another underwhelming loan stint at Union Berlin.
While no one is close to replacing Alisson Becker between the sticks, Kelleher got promoted as the second choice last season following few strong performances during the injury absence of the Brazilian. The 22-year-old is rated highly in the Liverpool camp and is too good to remain as a substitute with no assured game-time. The sweeper-keeper has been called up twice by the national side of the Republic of Ireland and a starting status elsewhere should see the U21 international earning his senior debut for the Boys in Green.
Adrian, meanwhile, enjoyed a majestic start to life in Merseyside when Alisson got injured against Norwich City in the opening gameweek of the 2019-20 campaign. Liverpool conquered the UEFA Super Cup defeating Chelsea, thanks to the Spaniard’s heroics in the tie-breakers. The Reds were off to a flying start en route to winning the coveted Premier League crown and the former West Ham United stopper played his part with great efficiency until the Selecao ‘number 1’ returned.
Correct Call From The Reds?
The 34-year-old won a ‘treble’ in his first season at the club, however, his erroneous display against Atletico Madrid knocked them out of the Champions League last year prior to the Covid-19 outbreak in England. He got a lot of stick from the fans, particularly for his overconfidence and the laid-back attitude that jeopardized his Anfield future.
Although the custodian was in talks with Real Betis over a potential return to his boyhood club, a new contract offer at Liverpool suggests how highly he is rated by Jurgen Klopp despite earning a lot of criticism. He holds a profound experience of the English game and his presence in the dressing room often lifts the mood due to his popularity among teammates.
Meanwhile, Loris Karius has missed the boat and the Reds are now keen on parting ways with the German for a minuscule figure. He has entered the final year of his Merseyside contract and the reported interest from Stuttgart is being assessed by the officials. It is to be seen now whether a new name is roped in by Liverpool to challenge Adrian for the ‘number 2’ role.
