Shay GIven has urged Caoimhin Kelleher to leave Liverpool on loan this month.
The Republic of Ireland legend believes the young Cork goalkeeper needs to be playing regularly to really enhance his growing reputation - for club and country.
Kelleher is second choice at Liverpool behind Alisson Becker and also back-up to Gavin Bazunu with Ireland.
Bazunu succeeded Darren Randolph as first-choice goalkeeper in 2021 after capitalising on loan moves to Portsmouth and Rochdale where he has played regularly.
Randolph, who is expected to complete a loan move to Aston Villa in the coming days, lost his way with Ireland after falling down the pecking order at West Ham.
But Given, who won 134 caps for the Boys in Green, feels Kelleher should be demanding a switch from Anfield after seeing a loan to a Dutch club fall through last year.
“If it was me, I’d be knocking Klopp’s door down,” Given told Premier Sports.
“I’d be saying that I need to go out on loan, to go and play. January is a time to do that and I’d be on to my agent and manager to get me playing games.
“He’s in a bit of a predicament is Kelleher. He’s not a kid anymore; 23 is an age where I think he should be playing regular first-team football.
“I'm trying to bring myself back to when I was that age and I'm not sure how many games I would have played, but I think he has only played 14 games.”
Given made his name at Newcastle but had loans at Swindon and Sunderland while at Blackburn Rovers. He also had a loan spell with Middlsbrough while at Aston Villa.
And of Kelleher, Given added: “He has been training there for a few years and signed a new five-year contract last summer, so he’s part of the club’s long-term future.
“Even from a Liverpool point of view, they need to get him out playing, get him that experience, then bring him back and get him challenging Alisson.”
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