Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is set to be sidelined for up to six weeks, leaving the Reds short of senior options in pre-season.
Liverpool started their preparations for the new campaign on Saturday and were immediately dealt a blow in their already limited goalkeeping ranks.
Kelleher, 20, had been tipped to feature prominently for Jurgen Klopp this summer in the absence of Alisson and the continued speculation over Simon Mignolet‘s future.
But it has been confirmed that the young ‘keeper will take no part in pre-season after undergoing a “small operation” after suffering a broken wrist.
Kelleher, who was Klopp’s third-choice stopper last season, is to undergo a rehabilitation programme but the injury is expected to rule him out of action until August.
It leaves Liverpool with a conundrum on their hands in-between the sticks early in pre-season as the club’s undisputed No. 1 will not return until July 28 at the latest, while Mignolet’s return date is still unknown.
Klopp would have likely turned to the highly-rated Kamil Grabara to fill the void but he too is still on holiday after taking part in the under-21 European Championships.
And with Shamal George expected to sign permanently with Swindon Town after training with the League Two side, the Reds will, therefore, need to look deeper into their academy ranks until Mignolet arrives back on Merseyside.
It will give the likes of Vitezslav Jaros, Dan Atherton and Kai McKenzie-Lyle the opportunity to make their mark and be named in the matchday squad in the upcoming fixtures against Tranmere Rovers (July 11) and Bradford City (July 14).
The news comes as yet another blow on the injury front as Naby Keita has jetted off to Qatar for specialist treatment on an adductor injury, while Xherdan Shaqiri requires further assessment on a calf injury sustained during international duty.
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