One reported Liverpool target has been hailed as a player with a ‘big future’, while also boasting one standout trait which’ll surely endear him to whoever our next manager is.

Earlier this week, David Lynch reported that the Reds have been watching Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, who was in action for his side in their goalless draw against Leeds on Tuesday night.

Michael Bridges was on punditry duty with Sky Sports for the fixture, and he spoke glowingly about the 23-year-old prior to kick-off.

The ex-Black Cats striker said: “This is going to be his 104th game in a row, can you believe? He’s the only player in the Championship to play every game this season and last season, and his stats have been fantastic. Teams are watching out for him; there are some big clubs watching this lad.

“He’s louder on the field than he is off the field! He is such a quiet, humble lad off the field. This kid, he’s level-headed, down to earth, and he just works hard on his game. He’s got a big future ahead of him.”

In a season which has seen almost every Liverpool player dogged by injuries, including first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker, Patterson’s remarkable reliability would be very much welcomed at Anfield.

The Reds currently have two outstanding options between the posts in the Brazilian and Caoimhin Kelleher, so the Sunderland stopper would likely be feeding off scraps for first-team football if the Reds were to sign him.

However, should the Irishman depart in search of becoming an undisputed first-choice elsewhere, then the 23-year-old may become a quite attractive option for Jurgen Klopp’s successor.

You can view Bridges’ comments on Patterson below, via @SkyFootball on X:

"He's the only player in the Championship to play every game this season and last season"

Anthony Patterson will play his 104th game in a row tonight pic.twitter.com/uGo94dK9DV

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) April 9, 2024

The post (Video) ‘Can you believe?’ – Sky pundit wowed by ‘level-headed’ 23y/o who Liverpool have watched appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Jurgen Klopp has reportedly identified a potential successor to one player who Liverpool are thought to be willing to sell at the right price.

According to The Mirror, Anthony Patterson is on the Reds manager’s radar, with the 23-year-old having turned in a series of impressive performances for Sunderland.

The Merseyside club are believed to be prepared to cash in on the Republic of Ireland international if their £20m asking price is met, with the 25-year-old being a long-term target of former Anfield boss Brendan Rodgers at Celtic.

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Despite being two years younger than Kelleher, Patterson has made more than three times the number of senior appearances than his Liverpool counterpart (Transfermarkt), with the boyhood Sunderland fan benefitting from being first-choice at the Wearside club.

A return of eight clean sheets and just 30 goals conceded in 27 Championship appearances this term is very respectable from the 23-year-old (Transfermarkt), even though he’s yet to play at a level higher than the English second tier.

If the Reds are to dispense with the Irishman, it’d be imperative that they only do so once they’ve an adequate successor in the bag, with the Cork native being one of the most reliable second-choice goalkeepers in the Premier League.

At 25 and being unable to displace either Alisson Becker at Liverpool or Gavin Bazunu for his country, Kelleher may view this summer as the right time to try and establish himself as a first-choice pick somewhere else.

It’s a tricky dilemma for the Reds, who won’t want to lose such a dependable presence but may also be reluctant to stand in his way if he wishes to test himself elsewhere, but Patterson would appear to be a solid replacement if it comes to that.

The burning question then is whether the Sunderland stopper would be content to give up a starting role at his boyhood club for being backup to Alisson at Anfield. If he’s willing to accept such a scenario, that could be a big hurdle cleared in LFC’s reported pursuit of him.

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Liverpool are now understood to have identified Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson on their transfer radar.

This update comes courtesy of reporter Alan Nixon on his personal Patreon (as relayed by The 72) amid some degree of uncertainty over Caoimhin Kelleher’s future.

The 25-year-old resisted the lure of a summer exit ahead of the 2023/24 season, though it remains to be seen whether the second-choice shotstopper’s willpower will remain as resolute come the end of the campaign.

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Planning for the future.

Pep Lijnders has previously described the Republic of Ireland international as a ‘world-class’ (Yahoo!news) goalie and it has to be surely inevitable that his talents will attract interest he can’t ignore sooner rather than later.

We’d rather keep him at Anfield, of course, though we’d be far from surprised to see Kelleher explore the possibility of being a No.1 elsewhere should an opportunity arise this summer.

At that point, replacing his services with those offered by Sunderland’s 23-year-old ‘keeper may not be the worst shout in the world.

We’re a little tentative about this one as far as links go, though the logic isn’t entirely askew.

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