Report: Chelsea Pursuing Liverpool Star Who has Expressed Desire to Leave

Chelsea are eyeing a transfer for a Liverpool player who is currently valued at a modest £35 million.

The Blues made a whopping 13 new signings in the summer as Enzo Marecsa was drafted in to replace Mauricio Pochettino as manager. The former Leicester City boss is ranked at no.44 in FourFourTwo's list of the best managers in the world right now.

But having started the season well, Chelsea are once again looking to freshen up their squad with a new arrival from Merseyside already being touted by one outlet ahead of the summer transfer window.

Chelsea want to sign Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher for just £35million

According to The Sun, Chelsea are one of three clubs who want to sign Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher in the summer. Valued at £35m, the Republic of Ireland international has stressed in the past his desire to play first-team football regularly.

Giorgi Mamardashvili was signed earlier this year with there already a general consensus that Alisson Becker will leave the club to make way for the 24-year-old to become the new number one at Anfield next season.

Kelleher, however, has plenty of other suitors with it rumoured the Irishman was close to signing for Premier League side Nottingham Forest in the summer months.

Opting to stay at Liverpool, an injury to Alisson this season has seen him sneak back into the side. Juventus and Napoli are also monitoring Kelleher but he is believed to prefer the option of staying in the Premier League if possible.

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Kelleher has even confirmed his intention to leave Anfield, too, referencing the arrival of a new goalkeeper as the deciding factor in his choice to want to “go out and prove” his worth.

"I've made it clear in the last few years that I want to go and be a number one and play week in, week out," Kelleher said while on international duty with Ireland in September. "The club's made that decision to get another goalkeeper and from the outside looking in, it looks like they've made a decision to go in a different direction."

In FourFourTwo's opinion, Liverpool have a real headache on their hands, with Kelleher more than good enough to become the Reds' new number one.

Mamardashvili has perhaps been made to wait a year in the promise he will step into Alisson's shoes but the Brazilian could still opt to stay beyond this season.

Liverpool are back in Premier League action on Sunday as they take on Southampton at St Mary's.