Liverpool could turn to Scandinavia in the hunt for a new goalkeeper to provide competition to Alisson Becker.
His current deputies both look set to leave Anfield this summer, with Adrian’s contract expiring and Caoimhin Kelleher touted to move on in search of regular first-team football.
The Reds could therefore need to bring in new blood in that department during the off-season, and they appear to have one man in mind.
Norwegian outlet Varden have reported (via Fotbolltransfers) that Liverpool are interested in Leopold Wahlstedt, who currently plays with Odds BK in Norway.
The 23-year-old has seemingly not ruled out a move to Anfield, acknowledging that there’s concrete interest in him and saying in response to the rumours: “I have no comment on that. Maybe I can say like Morten (Rönningen, Odds’ sporting director) that I can neither confirm nor deny.”
The Sweden international could be a prospective cut-price addition to Jurgen Klopp’s squad, with Varden reporting that Odds BK would merely expect more than the modest €1m (£875k) that Bodo/Glimt offered for him in the winter transfer window.
He’ll be out of contract at the end of 2023 (Transfermarkt), so this summer represents the club’s final chance to reap money from selling him.
Wahlstedt was ever-present for his side in last year’s Eliteserien, keeping seven clean sheets in 30 games as he helped them to a fifth-placed finish (Transfermarkt).
A recent report from Just Football (via Hudl) stated that he boasts ‘fantastic reflexes’ and ‘can prevent goals that look almost certain to hit the back of the net’, while he has a very impressive 40% penalty save record.
Data from Wyscout (via Hudl) shows that he conceded fewer goals than his xGC in 18 league games in 2022, with a mammoth 10 saves in a 1-0 win over Valerenga.
The analytics site also outlined how Wahlstedt didn’t concede directly from a set piece last year and is an astute distributor of the ball who’s comfortable with playing out from the back, a trait often seen in Alisson.
Potentially available for a fee in the region of just £1m and comfortable in multiple facets of his game, he could be a very astute goalkeeper to target if, as seems likely, Kelleher departs Liverpool in the summer.