Due to Joe Hart’s impending retirement from football, Celtic are firmly evaluating potential goalkeeping options ahead of the summer transfer window.
Hart has just four games of his illustrious career left before hanging up his gloves, igniting speculation over who the club may land as his successor.
Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, Sunderland’s Anthony Patterson, and Aston Villa stopper Viljami Sinisalo have all been mentioned as potential candidates.
Yesterday evening, Daily Mail journalist Stephen McGowan reported that Brendan Rodgers has placed Motherwell number one Liam Kelly on a list of Celtic summer transfer targets
The report claims that Benjamin Siegrist is also likely to depart Parkhead alongside Hart, which has prompted the reigning Scottish Premiership champions to enter the market for the Scotland international,
Goalkeeping coach Stevie Woods is familiar with Kelly due to their time spent together in the Tartan Army set-up when he was on board.
He is available on a free transfer at the end of the season, as his deal at Fir Park expires at the end of May. Furthermore, Kelly would also bolster Celtic’s homegrown core of players, providing room for manoeuvre regarding European competition squad registration rules.
Per Transfermarkt, the 28-year-old has made 151 appearances for Motherwell, recording 35 clean sheets in that timeframe.
Stuart Kettlewell reacts to Liam Kelly transfer speculation
Back in October of last year, Kelly remained coy on speculation surrounding his contractual situation at Motherwell and wasn’t in a hurry to decide his future steps following discussions with boss Stuart Kettlewell [STV News].
Now, Kettlewell has addressed rumours that his goalkeeper could be on the move to Celtic, describing the 28-year-old as a ‘top-drawer’ number one that he would be keen to retain at Fir Park despite acknowledging the likelihood of interest from elsewhere.
He told PLZ Soccer: “You’ve possibly got a wee bit more information that what I have, that’s certainly nothing that I have spoken to Liam about. I do genuinely speak to him on a daily basis.
“I’ve trusted Liam, and rightfully so; you look at his performances, you look at the numbers he bashes out every season, you look at his availability, all these different things, his leadership, that has to go in there, how good a goalkeeper he is, not just with his feet but with his hands as well, I think he’s top-drawer.
“What wouldn’t surprise me is a goalkeeper of his stature and his standing attracting interest, but again, Liam would be somebody that I would love to keep at the football club. I would like to retain him.”
Celtic swooping for Liam Kelly does make a level of sense
Celtic are going to need more than one goalkeeper if Siegrist joins Hart in the departure lounge, and the lure of acquiring an international on a free transfer may prove hard to turn down for Rodgers.
At this moment, it seems unlikely that Kelly would be a direct replacement for Hart, though he has the requisite qualities to be a reliable deputy to whoever comes in as first-choice goalkeeper.
His homegrown status will also be an attractive commodity at Parkhead, given the need to ensure we meet registration quotas in European competition, something the club have needed to address for quite some time.
With the transfer window drawing closer, it appears Celtic are starting to make tracks as they prepare for 2024/25.
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