Arne Slot has admitted that Caoimhin Kelleher made the right decision to leave Liverpool in search of regular football even if it meant losing one of the most popular figures in the dressing room.
The 26-year-old goalkeeper joined Brentford in the summer for a deal worth up to £18 million, ending a ten-year spell on Merseyside that saw him progress from academy prospect to dependable deputy.
On Saturday night, he will face his former club for the first time since the move and Slot knows exactly why it came to this point.
Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League trip to the Gtech Community Stadium, the Dutchman offered a measured and honest reflection on Kelleher’s decision to move on.
“Maybe a goalkeeper is an exception,” Slot told reporters. “But in general, I don’t think it’s a healthy situation for a player to be on the bench longer than a year or miss out on many games in a year and then go into the next season.
“It’s so hard for them to keep giving everything on a daily basis.
“For Caoimh, like I said, goalkeepers are a bit of an exception, but he did this for so many years that he felt it was time for him to start playing – and he has shown that he is right because he is doing really well.”
It was a characteristically pragmatic response from Slot, who has already overseen several players leaving in pursuit of first-team opportunities. The likes of Jarell Quansah and Harvey Elliott both moved on loan in the summer for that very reason, and Kelleher’s exit fit a similar pattern a player too talented to keep waiting in the wings.
For Kelleher, though, this weekend represents more than a tactical subplot. It’s an emotional reunion with the club that shaped his career, the supporters who embraced him, and the teammates who watched him grow from an academy teenager into a Premier League and Champions League winner.
In his farewell message, the Cork-born stopper expressed deep gratitude to the club, thanking staff, coaches, and fans for “helping shape me into the man I am today” and adding that he would “always have a special place in my heart for this club and city.”
Kelleher’s Liverpool story was one of patience, professionalism, and quiet excellence. Though rarely first choice, he delivered consistently when called upon particularly in the domestic cups. His heroics in two Carabao Cup finals against Chelsea, in 2022 and again in 2024, cemented his reputation as one of the most reliable second-choice goalkeepers in Europe.
In total, Kelleher made 25 Premier League appearances and featured in over 40 cup games, collecting a remarkable medal haul that includes the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, two Carabao Cups, and the UEFA Super Cup.
He also holds a unique distinction in club history the only goalkeeper ever to win four penalty shootouts for Liverpool.
And while Slot would have preferred to keep him as part of his squad, the manager accepted that the time had come for Kelleher to step into a leading role elsewhere.
“He did this for so many years,” Slot reiterated. “At some point, it becomes about more than just being ready when needed it becomes about wanting to play, to show yourself every week. He made that choice, and it’s hard to argue with it when you see how well he’s done.”
Brentford wasted little time in identifying Kelleher as their solution after Mark Flekken’s departure. The Irishman has since impressed in West London, quickly establishing himself as the club’s No. 1 under new head coach Keith Andrews.
Calm under pressure, composed with the ball at his feet, and vocal in organising the defence, Kelleher has brought a sense of control and assurance to the Bees’ back line.
For Liverpool, meanwhile, the move reflected a subtle shift in strategy under Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes.
After years of retaining talented understudies like Kelleher, the focus has shifted towards allowing fringe players to move on earlier ensuring careers progress rather than stall.
The timing of Kelleher’s departure also coincided with the evolution of Liverpool’s squad under the Dutchman. A number of younger players have stepped forward, while the leadership void left by figures such as Jordan Henderson and James Milner is now shared across the group.
Ironically, both Henderson and Kelleher will face their former club together on Saturday two stalwarts who lifted major silverware for Liverpool and helped set the standards by which Slot’s new-look side is now measured.
For Henderson, the occasion is emotional. For Kelleher, it’s quietly significant a reminder of what he left behind and what he’s now building in West London.
He may no longer be wearing the Liver bird, but his story remains intertwined with it. And for all parties involved, Saturday’s meeting offers a fitting moment of reflection.
As Slot summed up, this was the right decision for the player and for the club.
