Liverpool are well-known for only doing deals that are smart and worthwhile in the long-term, with this strategy hardly ever failing.

Reds fans have had an enjoyable summer so far and, even though the transfer window only opened at the start of June, they have seen their club linked with some of Europe’s hottest talent.

Trent Alexander-Arnold leaving Liverpool has quickly been forgotten and the Reds’ first signing has been Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen, although the deals do not look like they will stop there.

Milos Kerkez is keen to join Liverpool and Florian Wirtz could also arrive soon, but departures are also expected to be able to fund such moves.

Brentford sign Kelleher as Flekken sold to Leverkusen	James Pearce has just confirmed Liverpool contract news that many Reds fans might have missed	Caoimhin Kelleher reveals why he left Liverpool as £18m Brentford transfer sealed

One outgoing that is soon to happen is that of goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who wants to be first choice elsewhere, although the fee Liverpool have received is perhaps lower than many expected and fans have their theories as to why.

Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images

Selling Kelleher to Brentford in a deal up to £18m, Liverpool fans believe that the club gave the Bees a discount to help speed up the process of the Wirtz deal.

This comes as Bayer Leverkusen want to sign Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken, meaning they get their number one target as soon as possible and can turn their attention to selling their star man Wirtz.

One fan on X wrote: “It’s probably to expedite Wirtz is my guess by helping Bayer get Brentford’s number 1.

Agree it’s a low price but only 1 year left on contract”.

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“It offsets Kerkez fee and helps Leverkusen get their man Flekken from Brentford.

Plus it will sweeten the deal for Leverkusen to get Flekken smoothly.”

A fourth fan added: “The deal also is connected to Bayer buying Flekken from Brentford.

If Brentford pays a bit less for Kelleher, they can take less from Bayer for Flekken… and perhaps will take a bit less on the other side for Wirtz.

Also he only had 1 year left on his contract, he’s not going to a rival for the league also the lad’s been class for us – I’d like to think we’ve made the move easy for him,” is what a sixth fan wrote.

Another agreed by writing: “Probably a sweetened deal to help Leverkusen get Flekken from Brentford given the fact Brentford don’t want to lose their #1 GK without a replacement.

Plus, the possible discount on Wirtz deal could make up for the ‘cheap’ Kelleher transfer.”

With Liverpool fans all in agreement that the cut-price Kelleher deal is to aid the process of signing Wirtz, it begs the questions of how close this deal is to happening?

Liverpool will be set to demolish the British transfer record if they are to get him and Fabrizio Romano’s latest reports suggest that Wirtz to Liverpool will happen ‘very soon’.

Although having their most recent bid rejected, Liverpool may offer Leverkusen Harvey Elliott or Jarell Quansah as part of the deal, with both heavily tipped with an Anfield exit anyway.

It may feel like a drawn-out saga given that the news broke of Liverpool’s interest weeks ago, but big deals take time, so patience is key in this potentially historic transfer.