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Former England shot-stopper Paul Robinson has branded Liverpool's top transfer target Giorgi Mamardashvili as an 'outstanding talent'. The 23-year-old, who currently plays for La Liga side Valencia, grabbed eyeballs with his breakout performances at EURO 2024.
Representing Georgia in their debut at a major international competition, Mamardashvili showcased his incredible qualities between the sticks. He made 29 saves in just four games, 11 more than second-placed Bart Verbruggen of the Netherlands who made 18 saves in six games.
His only clean sheet of the tournament came in a shock 2-0 upset over Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, which helped his nation qualify for the Round of 16. Despite being beaten 4-1 in the Round of 16 by Spain, his performances gained him a lot of interest from top European clubs, including Liverpool.
Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Arne Slot's side have agreed personal terms with Mamardashvili. The player also seems keen on the move, even if he has to spend a few years on loan before succeeding superstar goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
Robinson, who made 41 appearances in goal for the Three Lions, claimed that the Georgian would be an impressive addition to the Reds' squad. He was left confused about Caoimhin Kelleher's status at the club but whole-heartedly advocated the transfer.
He said (via TBR Football):
"Where this leaves Kelleher is another conversation. Alisson is 31 years old now, you look at him, he missed a good chunk of last season. Mamardashvili, he's an outstanding talent, at 23 years old, he was the best goalkeeper in La Liga last year at Valencia."
"He's just getting better and better, we saw his ability at the Euros. He's agile, great ability to get down low, he uses his feet really well, he's the modern-day goalkeeper," Robinson concluded.
Liverpool's current backup goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has made 47 senior appearances for the side so far.
Liverpool plan on loaning shotstopper Giorgi Mamardashvili to fellow Premier League club immediately after securing transfer: Reports
According to reports from Valencian news outlet Super Deporte, Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili will join Premier League side AFC Bournemouth on loan immediately after completing his transfer to Liverpool.
While he burst onto the global stage with his scintillating performances for Georgia at EURO 2024, he was equally impressive in the 2023-24 LaLiga season. He kept 13 clean sheets in 37 league games for Valencia. He was fourth on the Golden Glove standings for the campaign and attracted attention from top clubs like Liverpool.
Although the Reds have almost completed the formalities to bring Mamardashvili over to Anfield, they're not planning to keep him in the squad as Alisson's backup. The 31-year-old is arguably one of the best goalkeepers in the world right now. Meanwhile, the youngster has the potential to take over the starting spot in the future.
The Georgian himself is reportedly cognizant of the situation and has no issues spending a few seasons on loan to eventually become Alisson's successor. He is believed to be keen on gaining some invaluable experience in the Premier League before he takes over as the No. 1 at Anfield.
