‘Thomas Frank exit at Brentford no issue for Kelleher signing’
Caoimhin Kelleher will have no concerns about a potential swift departure for Thomas Frank after completing his move to Brentford thanks to the set up he has joined.
With the transfer window opening early for ten days at the start of June ahead of the Club World Cup, business is already being done early in the Premier League.
Earlier this week, Brentford completed the signing of Kelleher from Liverpool on a five-year deal until the summer of 2030.
The Republic of Ireland international will now finally get the chance to be first choice for a Premier League club, replacing Mark Flekken who has moved to Bayer Leverkusen.
Caoimhin Kelleher could soon see swift manager change
The Bees have paid up to £18million [The Athletic] in order to bring the goalkeeper to the club, where he may not have the same manager for long.
Earlier this week, Football Insider revealed that Brentford manager Thomas Frank is leading the race to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham.
Should that move happen, it would mean a major change at the club, almost immediately after the 26-year-old has made his move there.
Simon Jordan though, does not believe that will have been a concern for Kelleher as he weighed up this deal, due to the way Brentford are run.
Speaking on talkSPORT, the former Crystal Palace chairman said: “Goalkeepers are often undervalued and it’s becoming less and less so now because people pay more money for goalkeepers.
“But to get a number one goalkeeper of that quality for that kind of dough, given the fact if you wanted to buy a centre-forward at the other end of the field which is equally important, the goalkeepers are equally important… Then it’s an absolute steal.
“I would imagine the sporting director structure of Brentford and the ownership model is so consistent in its approach that irrespective of whether Thomas Frank is going out of the door.
“This player taking this option to get a number one spot in a Premier League side that’s ran well, irrespective of whether there’s some doubt about the manager, probably is the reason that he’s not uncomfortable about going to a club that may have doubts about its own manager.”
Brentford will be confident of bouncing back from Thomas Frank exit
Football Insider Verdict
There is no denying that it would be a blow for Brentford if they were to lose Frank ahead of the start of next season.
The 51-year-old has done an excellent job during his long spell in charge of the club, taking them to new heights in the Premier League.
As a result, his influence would surely be missed if he was to depart, and given he is a popular figure, it would be a blow to morale as well.
Even so, Brentford have shown they have the right set-up in place to cope with the exits of such important individuals, as they have done in the past with the likes of Ivan Toney.
With that in mind, there is no reason for Kelleher not to still feel as though he has made a solid and sensible move by joining the club.
Indeed, Football Insider understands Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna is a leading candidate to potentially replace Frank at Brentford.
That would ensure the Bees still have a strong option in the dugout, who many would likely back to do well with a club in their position.