Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Lloyd Kelly from AFC Bournemouth in the January transfer window.
The 24-year-old versatile defender is available at a reduced fee, as his contract expires at the end of the season. Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are also interested in Kelly, but Liverpool are believed to be the frontrunners for his signature.
Lloyd Kelly is in no hurry to make a decision about whether to continue at the Vitality Stadium or move to other top Premier League clubs. A product of Bristol City’s youth system, Lloyd Kelly joined Bournemouth in 2019, with the Cherries paying £13 million. Kelly played a significant role in helping the Cherries secure a spot in the Premier League last year and has made 119 appearances for the club.
Though Kelly has only started one of the four fixtures for the Cherries in this Premier League season, the 24-year-old has been in and out of the starting lineup at the Vitality Stadium. He is in the final year of his contract with the club, which is expiring next summer. AFC Bournemouth is looking to profit from the player’s departure instead of allowing him to leave for free next summer.
Tottenham Hotspur and Lloyd Kelly saga to continue?
Spurs are eagerly looking to reinforce their backline with Kelly being seen as a possible option. The club is likely to part ways with Eric Dier and Japhet Tanganga in the upcoming transfer window. Currently, Romero and Mickey Van de Van are the only formidable defensive pair, and the departure of Davinson Sanchez to Galatasaray has left them with limited choices for Ange Postecoglou, the new Spurs manager.
Furthermore, Tottenham Hotspur pursued a late £20 million bid to sign Lloyd Kelly this summer, but Bournemouth rejected the offer on the deadline day. However, Spurs remain hopeful about bringing him to North London.”
Is Kelly a viable option for Liverpool?
The Reds have also entered the race to secure Kelly’s signature. During the summer, Jurgen Klopp’s managed side had been actively seeking the addition of a new left-sided central defender, as Liverpool only has four center-backs in their squad for the season. Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk are both past 30 and have struggled with fitness issues in the past year. Therefore, the addition of the 24-year-old Bournemouth defender is an option worth considering.
The 5’10″ft center back is physically strong, great in aerial duels, and proficient with diagonal balls and crosses at the back. Additionally, he is a versatile defender who can predominantly operate as the central defender as well as a full-back and possesses raw pace for 1-vs-1 situations. Furthermore, Lloyd Kelly is just 24 years old with over 160 games under his belt, which certainly represents a wealth of experience. From this point forward, the player is determined to enhance his skills with the proper coaching and guidance, believing that he can unlock the full potential of his game.
The Dutch international, Micky Van de Ven, who is a regular starter at Spurs, partnering alongside Romero in their lineup, joined them in August this season and was one of the names on their priority list. Additionally, Levi Colwill was among Liverpool’s targets in the summer, but he decided to extend his contract and ended up signing a new deal at Chelsea.
Hence, the Bournemouth defender certainly fits the profile and could be a quality addition for the Reds. Liverpool does have the financial resources to make the deal happen, and the opportunity to play for a top-tier club in front of the Anfield crowd is undoubtedly an appealing proposition for the player.
Thus, it will be interesting to see whether the Reds will pursue their interest with an enticing proposal in the coming months. Undoubtedly, Lloyd Kelly himself will be looking to take a significant step in his career, and a move to Anfield might be the ideal choice. However, if not Liverpool, a move to Spurs is also a possibility.
