Liverpool

Liverpool

Premier League • England

Bullish Giorgi Mamardashvili fires ominous warning to Alisson over Liverpool No.1 spot

Giorgi Mamardashvili is ready to fight for his Liverpool place

Giorgi Mamardashvili has fired a warning to current Liverpool No.1 Alisson that he has no intention of just sitting on the bench when he eventually arrives at Anfield.

The Georgian stopper was one of just two signings made by the Reds over the summer but will not officially move to Merseyside until next summer.

Liverpool paid £29million (€34m, $37m) to lure the highly-rated Valencia star to Anfield but Mamardashvili is staying on loan at Los Che for the current season before eventually heading to Anfield in the summer of 2025.

The move did come a little out of the blue, considering that the Reds already have one of the best keepers in the world in Alisson already firmly ensconced as the No.1.

Indeed, Mamardashvili faces a big challenge to oust the Brazilian from the position, although it appears that he is more than up for the challenge of doing so.

Speaking to El Desmarque, Mamardashvili has vowed to fight for the starting spot, even if Alisson if still Arne Slot’s preferred option when the 2025/26 campaign begins.

The 23-year-old said: “I was attracted by the Liverpool project when the club’s representatives met with me to sign me.

“I will fight for the starting goalkeeper position, even if the current goalkeeper does not leave the team.”

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Saudi interest in Alisson continues

Speaking at the time of Mamardashvili’s surprise signing, Alisson certainly appeared to be up for the challenge or having another world-class stopper to go up against.

In an interview with The Telegraph back in August, the Brazilian said: “The club needs to prepare for the future. We are not going to last forever here. I am getting old! No, for a goalkeeper I am still young, I have a lot of energy and I still have much to give for this club and I want to give to the club as much as I can, but they have to prepare for the future.

“They [Liverpool] have and they will do for different positions as well. We have so many important players with the contract expiring and the club needs to organise themselves.

“I think it was a good idea, I knew about [Mamardashvili] before it came out on social media and that is a good message for me because the club cares about what I think.

“They are doing the right thing in my point of view, but on my side, as long as I have my contract here and as long as I am happy here, the club is happy with me, my family is happy here, I will stay.”

As for Alisson’s long-term Anfield future, the 32-year-old continues to be heavily linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League.

But one player who will almost certainly be forced to leave is Alisson’s current backup option Caoimhin Kelleher.

The Republic is way too good to be a third option at Anfield and there has even been talk of the Reds signing a Roma stopper if both Alisson and Kelleher move on next summer.

Latest Liverpool transfer news

Liverpool supporters have been warned to steel themselves for the “sad day” when Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves, with a club icon explaining why he is adamant a move to Real Madrid will happen and having also named his ideal successor.

Meanwhile, a stunning report has claimed Liverpool will sign their long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk in January, with the €25m-rated star to get a second chance in the Premier League.

According to Spanish outlet TodoFichajes, Sevilla have ‘closed the sale of [Loic] Bade’ to Liverpool.

Negotiations between the two clubs were labelled ‘advanced’, with the report adding ‘Loic Bade, who, if nothing goes wrong, will head to Liverpool in the winter transfer market.’ It was also claimed Bayern Munich made a late attempt to hijack the move, though did not succeed.

IN FOCUS – Alisson v Mamardashvili stats 2023/24

With the new season only two months old, we thought we’d take a look at how Liverpool old and new compared last season when it came to league outings.

Alisson and Giorgi Mamardashvili
How Alisson and Mamardashvili compared in league games last season

Even though it’s pretty even across the board, there are two particular areas that stand out.

Mamardashvili’s 50% success rate at saving penalties is a massive bonus when it comes to the number that are given in the Premier League every season – that’s a real weapon for the Reds going forward.

However, his passing accuracy will surely be a bit of a worry to Slot when it comes to Liverpool playing out from the back.

Being Brazilian, Alisson has always been good on the ball and sprays it around well, while it appears that Mamardashvili still has plenty of work to do in that regard. Something to keep an eye on in pre-season next summer for sure.

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