The Reds MUST cash in on Kelleher, Phillips and Van den Berg

Richard Hughes has a job on his hands as sporting director at Liverpool.

Not only does he have to negotiate key contracts with skipper Virgil van Dijk, vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold and the legendary Mohamed Salah, all while ensuring new manager Arne Slot has a squad capable of competing next season, but he has and to make sure the club sells well.

The Reds have struggled in the transfer market in recent years.

While it was a strong point of theirs during Michael Edwards’ first spell with the club, Liverpool struggled to get the most out of the players in their squad. Nico Williams was sold to Nottingham Forest in 2022 for £20m, but he is the exception rather than the norm.

The likes of Nathaniel Phillips and Caoimhin Kelleher have been ruled out of moves on more than one occasion. And the same thing seems to be happening this summer.

The Reds have rejected a reported £4m bid for the centre-back, while no club appear willing to match the £25m valuation placed on the Republic of Ireland stopper.

You can also throw Sepp Van Den Berg into the mix. The Dutchman is believed to be valued at around £20m and this has drawn Mainz into a move, while PSV Eindhoven are only said to be interested in the centre-back closer to the £14m mark.

Van den Berg, Phillips took out the price

On the one hand, Liverpool’s firm attitude is positive. They will not be harassed in the market. But they are not in a position of strength at the moment and that is what makes their position so problematic this summer.

For example, Van Den Berg, who joined Liverpool for a fee of £1.3m, is under contract until 2026. After impressing in the Bundesliga last term, his stock has never been higher. Anything north of £10m should be entertained, unless there are real plans to give him a first-team opportunity next season. If not, it seems like a lost opportunity to bring in some decent money for a team player.

After all, if he just sits around playing random cup games next term, his value will decrease as his business declines.

Nat Phillips Liverpool

That’s what happened to Phillips. At one point it looked like he could command a fee of around £20m after helping Liverpool secure Champions League football. Fast forward a few years and the Reds are hoping to get £8million for him before his contract expires next summer.

For a smart club, they have made some stupid decisions in the transfer market in recent years. Especially when it comes to selling, and that leads us nicely to Kelleher.

No team wants to pay the Kelleher fee

He has been linked with a move away from Anfield for the better part of three summers now. With each passing season as a player with a side, his price drops.

Liverpool will cite the James Trafford deal as the reason for their valuation of Kelleher. The 21-year-old moved to Burnley from Manchester City for £19m last summer. However, he was playing regularly and impressing for Bolton before the move. The Clarets overpaid for him, but they were paying for potential as much as they were paying for quality.

Photo : Jubel nach dem Schlußpfiff bei Sepp van den Berg / Mainz Fussball 1. Bundesliga am Sa 18.05.2024 VfL Wolfsburg – Mainz 1 – 3 *** Photo Applause after the final whistle from Sepp van den Berg Mainz Football 1 Bundesliga Saturday 18 05 2024 VfL Wolfsburg Mainz 1 3

Kelleher barely plays. Yes, he did well last season in Alisson’s place, but he is essentially an unknown throughout the campaign. Clubs will not pay a premium for a player whose best season to date involves just 10 league starts.

They won’t pay a premium price for a player with just two years on his contract. They’re not going to pay big money for a player who has basically come out and said he wants to play first-team football. Liverpool want as much as possible for Kelleher, but it has to be reasonable.

Every man and their dog know they want to start. The new Republic of Ireland manager even said he should play as often as possible.

How long can this go on?

Asked about Kelleher, Heimir Hallgrimsson said: “Of course, especially when he showed everyone that he can play at the highest level. It would be a shame if he doesn’t play regularly after he’s already shown everyone how good he is, the level he’s been playing at.”

Celtic were in need of a goalkeeper this summer after Joe Hart retired and Kelleher was mooted as a possibility. The Scottish champions have opted to bring in Kasper Schmeichel on a free transfer and Aston Villa youngster Viljami Sinisalo for £1million.

Unless a shot-stopper plays regularly, it is difficult to command such a high fee. Liverpool know this and yet their stance appears to be unwavering. But how long can this go on? The longer it takes, the weaker their hand becomes. They need to start investing money for these assets.