Chelsea given green light to sign 'world-class' Liverpool star that wants to leave in January

Chelsea have been urged to sign Caoimhin Kelleher ahead of the January transfer window. The 26-year-old goalkeeper has been heavily linked with an exit from Anfield recently following his impressive performances for Liverpool.

In the absence of Alisson Becker, who's been nursing a hamstring injury this season, Kelleher has enjoyed a great vein of form, keeping three clean sheets in eight Premier League games. While Arne Slot's side have remained unbeaten with the Irishman between the sticks, his run in the side could be over once his counterpart returns from the treatment room.

Even if he manages to hold down a place in the starting lineup, the Reds will be adding Giorgi Mamardashvili, who they signed from Villarreal in the summer for £29m, to the squad. So, with opportunities looking bleak, Chelsea have been encouraged to wrap up a deal for Kelleher.

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"I think Caoimhin got to the point in his career now where he’s going to have to make a big choice at the end of the season," Jason McAteer told beIN Sports. "If he wants a career somewhere else and play rather than just sit on the bench waiting to get in to play in a number of games for Liverpool.

"Chelsea is the big one. [Robert] Sanchez, I don’t think he’s… no. I think you should get Caoimhin now. I think his valuation certainly would have gone up over the last couple of seasons with what we’ve seen."

The former Liverpool midfielder added: "You’re probably maybe looking in the region of thirty to forty million for him. With Mamardashvili coming in, I think that’s saying to him [he can] go and have a career [at a different club]."

Interestingly, Kelleher has previously revealed that Liverpool are aware that we wants to leave and become a number one. He said: "I've made it clear in the last few years that I want to go and be a No. 1 and play week in, week out."

Then, on the arrival of Mamardashvili, he added: "The club's made that decision to get another goalkeeper, and from the outside looking in, it looks like they've made a decision to go in a different direction.

"Sometimes from the outside looking in, it looks like that's 100% my decision but at times it's not always in my hands. My ambition is clear that I think I'm good enough, and I want to go out and prove it."

In October, Kelleher, who's previously been dubbed 'world-class' by Virgil van Dijk, doubled down on his stance. As quoted by the Mirror, he said: "Obviously my intention is to do as well as I can and show my ability. That is where my head is at with the situation.

"The best thing I can do is go and play well and maybe give the manager something to think about, give him a headache. But it does work both ways. I played so many times last season - and if you do well your valuation goes up because obviously the club is going to want a good profit.

"I was clear (in the summer) that I wanted to play first-team football, whether that was here or elsewhere. I wanted to be a No.1. That was my thought process - but it’s always been my thought process because obviously I am a football player and like every player, I want to play. I’m not going to enjoy myself or be happy sitting on the bench."