Liverpool are said to be considering a buy-to-loan deal for Valencia goalkeeper Georgi Mamardashvili, with the fee touted as below market value.
Mamardashvili grew in popularity during the Euros for his heroic performances for Georgia, and the 23-year-old is now expected to switch clubs this summer.
That comes with Valencia needing to free up wages to meet owner Peter Lim’s self-imposed salary cap, and with Javi Guerra’s proposed transfer to Atletico Madrid falling through.
In order to bring in new players, the Spanish side will effectively need to sell first, with Relevo reporting that Mamardashvili is earning over €3 million (£2.57m) a year before tax.
Journalist Nacho Sanchis explains that this is why talks between Liverpool and Valencia “must be closely followed,” after the Reds were offered Mamardashvili.
Relevo previously reported on Liverpool’s interest in the stopper as a potential successor to Alisson, but with the No. 1 not expected to leave for at least another season, a buy-to-loan deal has been floated.
Bournemouth have been held up as a possible destination for the Georgian, which could be aided by sporting director Richard Hughes‘ relationship with the Cherries.
The transfer fee would be around €30 million (£25.7m), while it is explained that the €3 million gross earnings saved could go towards signing two additional players – interestingly, ex-Liverpool midfielder Pedro Chirivella has been mentioned.
Fabrizio Romano has repeated claims over Liverpool’s possible move on Friday, explaining on Playback that Mamardashvili is open to the move including the possibility of temporarily leaving on loan.
Given Alisson turns 32 in October and continues to attract interest from Saudi Arabia, it only makes sense for the club to put together a succession plan.
That could simply involve Caoimhin Kelleher and Vitezslav Jaros, but the likelihood is that they will also look to the transfer market for solutions.
Signing Mamardashvili and allowing him to gain experience at another Premier League club before returning to Anfield as Alisson‘s replacement could be a smart move.
This is particularly so as £25.7 million is widely considered to be below the player’s market value, allowing Liverpool to secure a bargain in the process.
Whether there is genuine interest from Merseyside or not remains to be seen, but rumours around the Valencia goalkeeper are now gathering pace.
As it stands, Mamardashvili is expected to be involved when Valencia face Eintracht Frankfurt in the annual Trofeu Taronja friendly on Saturday.
The transfer window closes for English clubs on August 30, meaning there are now only three weeks left to close any deals – including Liverpool’s pursuit of €60 million midfielder Martin Zubimendi.
