Caoimhin Kelleher was photographed at Liverpool training for the first time this season on Monday, with Ireland manager Stephen Kenny expecting him back “very soon”.
Liverpool’s second-choice goalkeeper has been sidelined since the first day of pre-season training, with a groin injury that has kept him out for more than two months.
It has meant that Adrian and often Harvey Davies have filled the substitutes’ bench in his absence, while Adrian even started in a 3-1 win over Man City in the Community Shield.
Jurgen Klopp previously expressed frustration with Republic of Ireland medical staff over the situation regarding Kelleher, although Kenny insists he was unaware of the injury.
Although it is understandable that Kenny has left the 23-year-old out of his squad to play Scotland and Armenia in the UEFA Nations League later this month, the Ireland manager has provided a positive update.
“The good thing is he’s making good progress and he’s back very soon,” he told reporters, including The42.
“[He] I will surely come back for the next camp.”
Of course, with no more international breaks scheduled before the winter World Cup, in which Ireland will not participate, the dates for the “next camp” are unclear.
But the suggestion that Kelleher will be back “very soon” lines up with footage from Liverpool’s pre-Ajax training session on Monday afternoon.
Although the goalkeeper was not part of the usual group that worked with John Achterberg and his coaches, he was photographed walking out onto the AXA Training Center pitch wearing gloves.
That would indicate that while he may not have trained alongside Alisson, Adrian, Marcelo Pitaluga and Fabian Mrozek, he did take other drills on the open field.
Having Kelleher fit and in the squad will be a boost for Liverpool, particularly ahead of meeting Derby in the third round of the Carabao Cup in November.
Last season, the No. 62 served as the starting goalkeeper in the cup, shining in penalty shootout victories over Leicester in the quarter-finals and Chelsea in the final, scoring the winner in the latter. .
If available, he is likely to reprise that role, at least for the Carabao Cup, but given the intensity of the schedule, there is a chance he could also be called up for the FA Cup, which starts in January.
