While Liverpool’s incoming transfer business might already be done for the summer with the arrivals of Darwin Nunez, Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsay, it’s a different story elsewhere in the Premier League regarding the Reds’ title-rivals.
Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have been relatively busy with the arrivals of Fabio Vieira, Matt Turner and Marqunhos and Yves Bissouma, Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster respectively, but it would be a surprise if the North London outfits both stopped there. In contrast, Chelsea and Manchester United are both yet to sign a player.
Meanwhile, Man City have already brought in Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund in a £51m deal, having also signed Julian Alvarez from River Plate for the summer back in January, and continue to be linked with moves for Kalvin Phillips and Marc Cucurella as they look to replace Fernandino and strengthen at left-back. Yet they might also be in the market for a new goalkeeper with Liverpool, in part, to blame.
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Ederson remains Pep Guardiola ’s undisputed first-choice while former Red Scott Carson penned a contract extension this summer to extend his stay at the Etihad, but the future of United States international Zack Steffen is rather more uncertain.
Signed from Columbus Crew in 2019, the shot-stopper spent the 2019/20 season on loan at Fortuna Dusseldorf before linking up with City to take his place as Ederson’s understudy. Over the past two seasons, he has played 21 times as a result but only two have come in the Premier League with a further two in the Champions League as he understandably struggled for major game-time.
With the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on the horizon, the 27-year-old’s future at the Etihad is uncertain with Steffen reportedly wanting more first-team football next season to ensure he is first-choice for the United States in Qatar. However, his last appearance for the club to date could have also pushed him closer to the exit door.
It was the American who was in goal at Wembley back in April when Man City took on Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-finals. Jurgen Klopp’ s side led 3-0 at the break, eventually running out 3-2 winners, following a first half display which the German labelled the best of his reign. However, the Reds’ second goal came courtesy of a calamitous error by Steffen, who dithered on John Stones’ back pass before being closed down by Sadio Mane, who scored with a tackle.
Guardiola defended his goalkeeper after the game, saying: “I haven’t spoken to Zack. It was an accident but we need him to try because that’s how we play our football. It was an accident, it happens. Edi [Ederson] was close in the last game as well.
“We need that to create our football we use our keeper to move our opponents into different situations. I’m pretty sure Zack didn’t want to do it. Sometimes the strikers miss in front of the keeper, other times the keeper makes a mistake.
“It was a decision [to play him] from days ago. It is unfair when you play cups and you don’t play them. He deserves to play and after that he had a good game. He made good saves and is an exceptional keeper.”
Yet that hasn’t stopped City and Guardiola from reportedly agreeing a deal for a replacement for Steffen, with that mistake against Liverpool poised to be his final appearance for the club and lasting memory with supporters.
According to the Guardian, City have a verbal agreement to sign Stefan Ortega ahead of his contract with Arminia Bielefeld expiring this summer, and following their relegation from the Bundesliga, with the Etihad said to be the German’s preferred destination. And while the transfer is dependent on Steffen definitely moving on, the 29-year-old is notably comfortable with the ball at his feet - a trait which cost the American dearly at Wembley.
Meanwhile, Ortega has previously been linked with a move to Bayern Munich as a back-up to Manuel Neuer with such links again suggesting his comfort with the ball at the feet, given that his compatriot has built his reputation as one of the best goalkeepers around courtesy of being a trusted sweeper keeper.
City’s issues with their back-up goalkeeper are in stark contrast to Liverpool, with Reds number two Caoimhin Kelleher emerging as the hero in his own Wembley appearance in the League Cup final back in February.
A standout performer for Klopp’s side against Chelsea, he made a number of key saves to keep the scores level before scoring in the penalty shootout as Liverpool ran out winners. Meanwhile, his display understandably earned the praise of his manager.
“Alisson Becker is the best goalie in the world for me,” Klopp told reporters at Wembley. “There are other good goalkeepers out there but this goalie is absolutely insane. But to be honest for me Caoimhin Kelleher is the best number two goalie in the world as well.
“The game he played tonight was absolutely incredible. I can remember at least two incredible saves, and probably there were more. So he proved that the decision to line him up was absolutely right.
“And then in a very spectacular penalty shootout he showed the whole range of his skill set. He finished one off with his really skilled feet. So top class.”
However, Klopp could find himself facing a similar dilemma as Guardiola in the not too distant future but for rather different reasons with Kelleher’s long-term future at Anfield also uncertain given Alisson’s status as Liverpool’s first-choice goalkeeper.
“I’m not sure on what’s happening yet," the shot-stopper told reporters when asked about his future while away with the Republic of Ireland during the June international break. "I’m still finishing this season and then we will have conversations after that to see what happens.
“Obviously, I need to play these few games and see what happens with these and maybe decide after that.”
Fortunately for Liverpool, the fact that the Reds are expected to have concluded their summer transfer business suggests Kelleher won’t push for an exit just yet. But Klopp and Guardiola are both well-aware of the issues of finding a reliable number two goalkeeper when boasting the services of two of the best goalkeepers in the world.
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