Southampton manager Russell Martin has warned Liverpool and Celtic that the club intend to hold on to Alex McCarthy amid transfer rumblings that the goalkeeper is a wanted man
McCarthy has caught the eye since breaking back into the Southampton side late on in their Championship campaign, playing the last five games of the regular season and all three play-off games as they earned promotion to the Premier League.
Liverpool are said to be keen on bringing in McCarthy as a replacement for long-time back-up keeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who is understood to want regular football that he is not going to get while Alisson remains at the club. Celtic have also been said to want McCarthy as a replacement for Joe Hart, who has now retired.
Russell Martin determined to hold on to Southampton stars after promotion
But Martin told the Southern Daily Echo that he will not let McCarthy go easy – with the same going for Stuart Armstrong and Che Adams.
He said: “We'll try and keep all three: I think that's been the plan the whole time. Whether or not we can, I don't know. I know that there will be offers for all of them and probably offers that will pay them more than we can.
“Hopefully the feeling they have and all that stuff will outweigh financial gain but maybe there'll be other things about it too. Whether that is location, club, how they feel about it - but we'll do our very best to try and keep all three.
“I think all three of them have been really outstanding. We've missed Stuey since he's been injured. The effort Che put in to get fit to be on that pitch, I don't think I'll ever take for granted. I feel so grateful to him for doing that.
“And then Big Al, I guess I'm a bit of an idiot for not playing a bit sooner but I think we have such a brilliant goalkeeping department here with Gavin and Joe as well.
“I'm so pleased for Al that it finished in this way. As I said, maybe it was meant to happen that he came into the team at some point. He's been immense since he came in so we'll try and keep Al as well and we'll keep our fingers crossed.
“It's my job now to try and squeeze more money out of Phil and the board and everyone and see where it takes us.”
More Liverpool stories
Liverpool face deadline as they consider €60m swoop: report
Liverpool want Belgian hotshot to become first summer signing - and he's someone Arne Slot knows well: report
