Brentford have secured the services of Republic of Ireland shot-stopper Caoimhin Kelleher from Liverpool for a fee of £18 million, following Mark Flekken’s transfer to Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen.
The Bees are set to pay an upfront sum of £12.5 million for Kelleher, who was entering the final year of his contract at Anfield, with an additional £5.5 million in performance-based add-ons.
Kelleher featured in 20 games last season during Alisson Becker’s injury spells and was keen on more regular first-team football. And with Liverpool completing a £29 million deal for Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia, the Cork native saw his opportunities shrinking.
“I felt for my own career that the time was right for me to go, to be a number one and to play every week,” Kelleher said after sealing his switch to the Gtech Community Stadium.
“Once I knew Brentford was in for me, it was definitely one I was really excited about and wanted to do as quickly as possible.”
The 26-year-old has signed a five-year deal with the Bees and will replace Flekken, who has joined Leverkusen after one season as Brentford’s No. 1.
Kelleher departs Liverpool after a decade with the club, having made 67 appearances and collected nine trophies – including the Carabao Cup, FA Cup, and UEFA Super Cup. Despite his status as backup to Alisson, he proved himself a reliable and composed presence whenever called upon.
The £18 million transfer includes a 20 per cent sell-on clause, meaning Kelleher’s former club Ringmahon Rangers will receive up to £3.6 million from the deal.
