Watch: Arne Slot - I'd be really worried if Caoimhín Kelleher didn't care about playing first-team football

Liverpool manager Arne Slot during a interview with sky sports following the Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester. Picture date: Sunday September 1, 2024.

Arne Slot isn't concerned about Caoimhín Kelleher becoming unsettled at Liverpool and instead insisted he would be more worried if the Cork native didn't want to play first-team football.

The former Ringmahon Rangers man spoke recently while on duty with the Republic of Ireland about his desire to move elsewhere in order to play more minutes, although the Reds denied his wishes as they were keen to keep him as back-up to Alisson.

"I made it clear in the last few years I want to go be a number one and play week in, week out,” said Kelleher on Monday.

New Pool boss Arne Slot is already looking to the future having recruited Giorgi Mamardashvili during the recent transfer window, although the Georgian won't arrive at Anfield until next summer.

And asked, ahead of their home game against Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon, how he deals with a player that is affectively unsettled because he wants to play regularly, Slot replied; "I would be really worried if a player comes out saying 'I don't care about playing first team football, I like it so much on the bench I want to stay there for the rest of my life!' 

"That would be a bigger worry for me so it's normal that they want to play but it's also normal that a club like this, that tries to compete for trophies, has more than eleven players that can play. And as long as they accept their situation - not accept it in a way I don't care that I'm not playing but accepting it by helping the team whenever they have to - then it's a good place to be in.

"I think Caoimh has shown many times in the past few years, and even in pre-season, that he is every time ready when we need him. It's a good thing he wants to play and who knows he's going to play for us in the future.

"But at this moment I think it is also quite clear that Alisson is the number one but last year he played many games so normal situation for a player to be in, if you're not playing you want to play but he handles the situation really well.

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