According to The Scottish Sun, Livingston goalkeeper Liam Kelly is set to be a man in demand at the end of the season, with reports claiming that the 22-year-old shot-stopper has a clause in his contract which would allow any club to snap him up for a bargain fee of just £50,000.
The Scottish Sun also understands that a host of English clubs, including Ipswich Town, Barnsley, Wigan Athletic and Reading are all alert to the situation, while Scottish giants Celtic and German club Hamburger SV are also believed to be interested in securing the services of the 22-year-old Scotsman.
Kelly spent 12 years at Rangers and rose through the youth ranks but he never got the opportunity to express himself in the first-team at Ibrox. He spent time on loan at Scottish fourth-tier club East Fife and Livingston before joining the latter on a permanent deal last summer.
The youngster has been a revelation in the Scottish Premiership this season and has caught the eye with multiple solid shifts between the sticks, registering a total of 17 clean sheets from 39 appearances for his club in all competitions. It is quite clear that his red-hot form with the gloves combined with the possibility that he might be available for just £50,000 in the summer has put him on the radar of some bigger clubs.
Kelly has represented Scotland at all youth levels from U-16 upto U-21, accumulating a total of 21 caps for his nation at all youth levels comprised. However, he is yet to make his bow at the senior international level for his nation.
To put things into perspective, Celtic signing Liam Kelly from Livingston would be a slap on the face of Rangers and the Hoops should look to beat off competition for the talented 22-year-old shot-stopper. Kelly is someone who has climbed up the pyramid the hard way, winning the Scottish League Two and Scottish League One titles with East Fife and Livingston respectively before proving his worth as a bona-fide shot-stopper in the top-flight.
Celtic have managed to cruise to the domestic title this season but they need to bring in a few fresh faces in the summer to maintain the balance in their squad. Although it is still not clear whether Neil Lennon will be in charge next season, the Hoops need to invest heavily in their options at centre-back and right-back, with Filip Benkovic, Dedryck Boyata, Cristian Gamboa and Mikael Lustig all sure to head for the exit door at Parkhead.
They can certainly do with another promising goalkeeper in their ranks, though Scott Bain will be expected to retain his position as the No.1 between the sticks following his impressive performances in the current campaign. Celtic, however, should take into consideration that Kelly has impressed for a Livingston side that has always found themselves in a relegation dogfight at the bottom of the table, being an integral part of a backline that has shipped only 39 goals in 35 games. Moreover, he is a perfect modern-day keeper in the making, who is noted not only for his shot-stopping abilities but also for his ability to play with his feet.
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Celtic have veteran Craig Gordon as a useful back-up option in goal but someone like Liam Kelly is more than capable of fighting for a place in the first-team in the years to come. That said, Celtic should look at him as a long-term investment and snap him up for a bargain fee in the summer.