Liverpool have received inquiries from Brentford, West Ham and Leeds regarding the goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher and allowed John Heitinga to open talks with Ajax about becoming their new head coach. Kelleher will be allowed to leave this summer in his search for regular first-team football providing Liverpool’s valuation is met.
The Premier League champions want more than £20m for the Republic of Ireland international, who has impressed when deputising for Alisson and remains under contract until 2026. With Giorgi Mamardashvili arriving from Valencia this summer, Kelleher’s first-team opportunities are likely to reduce further next season should he remain at Liverpool.
Brentford have contacted Liverpool about signing the 26-year-old as they look to replace Mark Flekken, who is expected to join his compatriot Erik ten Hag at Bayer Leverkusen. Brentford signed Sepp van den Berg from Liverpool last summer and while in a good position to secure Kelleher they face competition.
Heitinga has been granted permission to discuss a return to Ajax, where he started his career and was interim coach in the second half of the 2022-23 season, after emerging as their first choice to succeed Francesco Farioli. The Italian quit Ajax after their astonishing collapse in the Eredivisie title race when blowing a nine-point lead with five games to go.
The former Ajax and Everton defender has impressed as Liverpool’s assistant first-team coach this season and when coaching West Ham under David Moyes in 2023-24. Arne Slot is reluctant to lose Heitinga, who was courted by West Brom this year, but would not block his opportunity to become a head coach for the first time.
Slot said last week: “If Ajax would be smart they would consider him. He is ready to take on a job like that. If John is smart, he would stay here one more season.”
