Giorgi Mamardashvili gives telling one-word reply when asked why Liverpool transfer was deferred | OneFootball

Giorgi Mamardashvili has said there’s one reason why he isn’t yet playing for Liverpool despite agreeing a move to Anfield five months ago.

In the final week of last summer’s transfer window, the Merseyside club confirmed a deal for the Georgia goalkeeper, with the agreement seeing him remain with Valencia for this season before linking up with the Reds ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The 24-year-old endured a tough night in his most recent match as he was culpable of an error for one of the seven goals that Barcelona stuck past him at Camp Nou.

Mamardashvili explains why Liverpool move was deferred

After the final whistle, Mamardashvili was seen in conversation with opposition winger Ferran Torres, with the DAZN cameras picking up some of the dialogue between the two.

When the ex-Manchester City player asked the goalkeeper why he didn’t leave Valencia for Liverpool last summer, the Georgian gave a telling one-word answer: ‘Alisson’.

Mamardashvili has eyes on displacing Alisson eventually

When interviewed by the Spanish press back in October, Mamardashvili stated his intentions to fight for the number one berth at Anfield, even if Alisson Becker were to remain at the club.

That’s likely to still be his ultimate goal when he comes to Liverpool, but his succinct reply to Torres’ question indicates that, at the time of his signing for the Reds last August, the 24-year-old didn’t seem quite ready to challenge the Brazilian for his place in the team.

The irony is that, while Caoimhin Kelleher has been touted to leave for Newcastle after being unable to hold down a regular starting berth at Anfield, both Alisson and Mamardashvili have concerning save percentages from recent games.

That said, both have proven to be top-class goalkeepers, with the Georgian excelling at Euro 2024 and our current number 1 showing over the past few years that he’s one of the world’s best players in his position.

The Valencia stopper is the heir to the Brazilian’s throne, but how long it’ll take for him to claim the status of Liverpool’s first-choice ‘keeper remains to be seen. Let’s hope that, when he comes to Merseyside later this year, he can be just as reliable a deputy as Kelleher has invariably been.