Giorgi Mamardashvili to Liverpool: Valencia demand big fee for star Euro keeper, potential Alisson successor

Valencia are ready to demand a sizeable fee for Giorgi Mamardashvili as Liverpool step up their interest in the Georgian international goalkeeper.

Mamardashvili was one of the breakout stars of Euro 2024 but Liverpool's admiration for the 24 year old goes further back than this summer. Though Alisson's starting spot would not be under immediate threat should Liverpool secure a deal with Valencia, Mamardashvili could be groomed as a long term successor to the 32-year-old Brazilian.

Equally, they are prepared to keep hold of one of their star players, who prevented more goals than any other player in La Liga last season according to Opta's post-shot expected goals metric. That fine form continued into the European Championships, where he made 30 saves in four games for Georgia.

With no agreement so far found with Liverpool, Valencia are prepared to continue with Mamardashvili in their starting lineup for the time being and, per sources, he could be in line to start against Barcelona when their La Liga season begins on Saturday. Valencia have already rejected two bids for Mamardashvili, linked to Atletico Madrid and Newcastle this summer.

With Alisson ensconced as Liverpool's top keeper, Mamardashvili could be loaned back to Valencia for the 2024-25 season to smooth over negotiations. The Georgian could also be loaned elsewhere, but Premier League regulations would forbid the Reds from signing Mamardashvili and loaning him out to another top flight club in the same window.

Liverpool must also consider the long term future of Caoimhin Kelleher, the 25-year-old who has impressed when stepping in for Alisson in recent years, most notably in keeping a clean sheet in February's EFL Cup Final. Kelleher said in May that he had "done my years as a number two" and he has been linked with a move to Juventus.