Because it stands, Liverpool’s solely signing of the summer season may very well be a participant who doesn’t even be a part of the membership till 2026, with Giorgi Mamardashvili the goal.
Although talks with Valencia stalled, if proposals undergo the Georgian goalkeeper will keep on mortgage on the Mestalla earlier than finally making the £34 million transfer to Anfield.
In a decidedly quiet summer season, jibes that new sporting director Richard Hughes has struggled to fulfill the demand for transfers clearly ring true.
However a delayed deal to carry Mamardashvili to Merseyside shouldn’t be undersold, because the 6’6″ stopper is likely one of the most promising goalkeepers in Europe.
He got here to the eye of most for his performances with Georgia at Euro 2024, however these inside Liverpool’s recruitment group can have been conscious of the 23-year-old lengthy earlier than that.
With greater than a century of appearances beneath his belt for Valencia, Mamardashvili has produced a convincing financial institution of information for the membership’s researchers to pore over.
Why Mamardashvili is on the radar
Arriving in Valencia from Dinamo Tbilisi in 2021, following mortgage spells with FC Rustavi and Locomotive Tbilisi in his native Georgia, he initially joined as fourth-choice goalkeeper.
However having made an enormous impression in pre-season he began that marketing campaign as No. 1, together with his mortgage deal made everlasting by the tip of the 12 months.
Now, after three full seasons as first alternative at Valencia, Mamardashvili has developed into an outstanding shot-stopper whose dominance of the penalty space has attracted curiosity from various prime golf equipment.
It’s straightforward to see why: he’s fast off his line, spreads himself effectively and possesses excellent agility and reflexes, whereas his top and attain make him an imposing problem for opponents when claiming crosses.
There may be much less proof of his capability on the ball, largely owing to the programs employed by Valencia and Georgia, however chatting with Anfield Watch, former Dinamo Tbilisi scout Mikha Gabechava famous it as an space of main enchancment.
“Concerning his capability to play together with his toes, I’ve to say that he has improved considerably over the previous couple of years, primarily as a result of he has a implausible goalkeeper coach at Valencia,” Gabechava stated.
“Even in his early days at Valencia, he used to make errors and wasn’t as efficient in that facet.
“Nonetheless, now you’ll be able to clearly see that he’s extra comfy and assured on the ball.”
These with a data of underlying knowledge have in contrast his present degree of output with that of Alisson earlier than the Brazilian made his £65 million change from AS Roma to Liverpool six years in the past.
Succession planning
Liverpool have been satisfied again then that Alisson had proven sufficient to be price a world-record deal for a goalkeeper, ranking him above one other goal in Jan Oblak.
Alisson was regarded throughout the membership as a transformative signing akin to that of Virgil van Dijk six months earlier, and having now gained each trophy potential, that perception has been vindicated.
It has caught within the craw of some supporters, then, that Liverpool are readily pursuing one other goalkeeper with a transparent plan to succeed the present No. 1.
That’s significantly evident as, with Caoimhin Kelleher and Vitezslav Jaros already in place behind Alisson, it’s a place which is arguably their lowest switch precedence at current.
A problem in touchdown an elite-level No. 6 and an absence of progress in terms of contract extensions for Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah have underlined this level.
However the initiative proven in figuring out Mamardashvili and shifting to get the deal carried out forward of time, together with arranging helpful expertise within the meantime, must be recommended.
It must be acknowledged that the notion of Liverpool taking their eye off the ball when it got here to different key areas started previous to this summer season’s altering of the guard within the boardroom.
With Michael Edwards returning as a part of Fenway Sports activities Group and Hughes offering stability in his long-term place of sporting director – after a brief run with Jorg Schmadtke within the position – the membership are working to revive order.
That, and new head coach Arne Slot‘s want to evaluate the squad completely earlier than any selections are made, might clarify the shortage of exercise in the summertime switch window.
And a proposed deal to carry Mamardashvili to Liverpool in 2026, when he could be practically 26, is their strongest signal but of succession planning in motion.
Alisson must be going nowhere but!
However there must be no acceptance that that is an imminent handover; Alisson will solely flip 32 in October and final 12 months advised journalists that he was “nonetheless younger for a goalkeeper” and will play effectively into his late 30s.
A clear sheet in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Ipswich was the right begin to his seventh season with the membership, and although he was solely required to make two saves, he carried out with the identical assuredness that has positioned him amongst Liverpool’s best-ever goalkeepers.
Alisson has already proven he’s completely suited to Slot’s new system, together with his capability in possession lending itself to a composed buildup, whereas his uncooked qualities as a goalkeeper converse for themselves.
There may be nonetheless a powerful declare for the Brazil worldwide to be thought of one of the best on this planet in his place.
If the membership do formally announce their settlement with Valencia this summer season, nevertheless, it can pressure followers to confront the unhappy actuality that Alisson is not going to be with the Reds eternally.
Hyperlinks with the Saudi Professional League persist and there’s a lingering sense that he’ll finally look to depart the wet climes of north-west England.
Departed head of goalkeeping John Achterberg has even prompt Alisson might have left the membership as early as this summer season, had the choice been made to half methods with goalkeeper coach Claudio Taffarel as a part of the post-Jurgen Klopp reshuffle.
Whereas there stay doubts over the futures of Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold and Salah – and the way, in the event that they have been to depart, Liverpool would substitute three of their most vital gamers – there ought to at the very least be a aid that succession is already mapped out with Alisson.
Luckily, it gained’t be a sudden shift for followers to return to phrases with, because the world’s greatest No. 1 goes nowhere any time quickly.
