Liverpool's Caoimhin Kelleher is closing in on a move to Brentford after the two clubs agreed a deal of up to £18m for the Irishman. The 26-year-old is into the final 12 months of his current deal and last month made it clear that he was ready to kick-start his career and become a first-choice shot-stopper away from Anfield. The two-time Carabao Cup winner has been linked with moves to Leeds United and Chelsea in recent months, though it's Thomas Frank's side that appears to have won the race for his services. But with the Republic of Ireland international costing an initial £12m, should Manchester United have made an audacious play to land Kelleher? Yes, according to ESPN's Mark Ogden. "I just don’t see it happening, but I think he’d be ideal for United – is Caoimhin Kelleher,” said Ogden last week. “I just don’t see Liverpool selling their number two to Man United, but Kelleher wants to move. He wants to play. Brentford have been linked with Kelleher but, you know, United would be a much better option for him. “United and Liverpool don’t trade players, do they? But I think in terms of a goalkeeper who’s proved himself in the Premier League and will be relatively inexpensive at around £20m, Kelleher to United would be a good deal. Like I say, the history between the clubs is such that they just don’t do deals.” History emphasises Odgen's point that Liverpool and United don't trade players, at first team level anyway. In fact, you'd have to go back to 1964 for the last player to move directly between the two clubs, as Bill Shankly struck a deal with Matt Busby for the signing of United's Phil Chisnall. Since then, of course, players like Paul Ince and Michael Owen have pitched up at both Old Trafford and Anfield at different points of their careers. However, neither player moved from one club to the next directly, with Ince joining via Inter Milan in 1997 and Owen arriving at Old Trafford 12 years later after failing to settle at either Real Madrid or Newcastle United. The stats also underline Ogden's point that Kelleher would be a quality addition to Ruben Amorim's side, with the Irishman boasting the best win percentage (65.7%) of any goalkeeper in history to have played 50 or more games for Liverpool. Andre Onana, meanwhile, has failed to live up to the standards of his predecessor , David de Gea, who won two Premier League Golden Gloves during his time at Old Trafford. The former Ajax and Inter Milan No.1 has conceded 102 goals in just 72 Premier League appearances. But if United had made a play for Kelleher, they would be adding a goalkeeper to their ranks who Liverpool's former coach, John Achterberg, believes was better than De Gea. Recalling Kelleher's development at Anfield during the 20-21 season, Achterberg told the Yours, Mine, Away podcast: “[At] one stage I said to him, ‘I don’t want to say much, but you’re better than De Gea’. “‘The only difference is he’s playing every week and you haven’t got that yet. But your speed, reactions and your technical ability are much better than his.' I’m not much wrong up until now and hopefully he keeps doing that." But as things stand it looks as if Chisnall's transfer more than 60 years ago will remain the last bit of direct business between the two bitter North West rivals, with Kelleher seemingly set for West London.