Liverpool, who had been rumoured to be reinforcing various positions – attacker, centre-back and defensive midfielder – had a quiet summer.And the first reinforcement was, unsurprisingly, goalkeeper.
The club acquired Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia, but he will not join in earnest until next summer as he will be on loan back to the Spanish club this season.
The 23-year-old goalkeeper, who also played a big part in EURO 2024, has come a long way since last season.
International media reporter Dermot Corrigan of The Athletic said the player reached a new level in La Liga last season, but said that to play for Liverpool he would have to learn to play goalkeeper-to-connection football, something he has not had much experience of throughout his career.
“Last season he was excellent and it was definitely his best season. His xG prevented stat last season in La Liga was the best in the division – it showed that he had reached a new level.
“He’s a big, physically imposing guy with a lot of personality, he likes to be involved in the game. Penalties are where goalkeepers get a chance to shine. He saved three of six penalties faced in La Liga last season, which is a pretty good record.”
“He is kind of a traditional goalkeeper. At Valencia, he hasn’t played under coaches in the more modern school of building it out from the back, splitting the centre-backs and the goalkeeper being a playmaker from the back.”
“I don’t think he’s done that for Valencia or Georgia – I’m not saying that he’s not capable of it but it’s something that he hasn’t really had that much experience of so far in his career.”