After ten years
© Imago
Shortly after FC Brentford announced the departure of Mark Flekken to Bayer Leverkusen, his successor was presented to the Londoners. Caoimhín Kelleher comes to the Bees from FC Liverpool and signs a contract with the option to another year by 2030. According to media reports, Brentford pays a transfer of just over 14 million euros for the 26 -year -old goalkeeper, who can increase with bonuses to more than 21 million euros.
Kelleher moved to the youth of the Reds in 2015 and rose to the professional squad in 2019. Since then he has represented number one Alisson and completed 67 games in which he stayed without conceding a goal. In June 2021, he made his debut for the national team of Ireland, for which he has so far reached 22 caps. Flekken came from SC Freiburg to Brentford in 2023 for EUR 13 million, so Kelleher already replaces him as the most expensive keeper in the club’s history without bonus payments.
“I don’t think it was very difficult for me to leave Liverpool. I felt that it was time for my own career to be the number 1 and play every week. I heard of interest a few weeks ago. When I knew that Brentford was coming up, it was definitely something I was looking forward to and I wanted to make it as soon as possible.
“I am very happy to welcome Caoimhín in Brentford. We have scouted him in the past and knew that his contract at Liverpool was running for a year this summer. When Mark Flekken had the opportunity to switch to Bayer Leverkusen, we immediately thought of Caoimhín as his successor,” said Phil Giles, Sport at Brentford.