Liverpool Could Move On From £30m Goalkeeper

Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili could reportedly be heading towards the exit door at Anfield, with his future becoming increasingly uncertain following the club’s decision to sign highly-rated Belgian goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans.

Mamardashvili joined Liverpool in a deal worth around £30 million from Valencia. However, after spending the 2024/25 season back on loan in Spain, he finally arrived at Anfield last summer.

The Georgian goalkeeper was expected to provide strong competition for Alisson Becker and potentially succeed the Brazilian as Liverpool’s long-term No.1.

Mamardashvili Has Struggled For Regular Football

Things have not gone according to plan so far.

Mamardashvili made 20 appearances in all competitions during his first season with Liverpool, including 10 Premier League games when Alisson was unavailable through injury.

However, he conceded 34 goals in those 20 appearances and recorded just three clean sheets.

With Liverpool deciding to keep Alisson rather than allow him to leave, Mamardashvili’s chances of becoming the club’s first-choice goalkeeper became even slimmer.

The situation has become more difficult this season. The 25-year-old has made just one competitive appearance under new head coach Andoni Iraola, featuring in Liverpool’s 3-1 Carabao Cup victory over Tottenham.

Brughmans’ Arrival Could Change Everything

Liverpool have now taken another major step towards planning for the future by agreeing a deal for 18-year-old Genk goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans.

The Belgian is expected to join the Reds next summer in a package reportedly worth around €35 million (£29.9m).

Brughmans has already attracted comparisons with Thibaut Courtois, who also came through Genk’s academy before becoming one of the world’s leading goalkeepers.

And according to European football expert Andy Brassell, Brughmans’ arrival could spell the beginning of the end for Mamardashvili’s Liverpool career.

‘He’s Not Going To Be First Choice’

Speaking to talkSPORT, Brassell suggested that Liverpool may eventually have to make a decision on Mamardashvili’s future.

He explained that there had previously been an expectation that Alisson would eventually leave Liverpool, giving Mamardashvili a clear path to the starting position.

That has not happened, however, and the situation has left Mamardashvili needing regular first-team football elsewhere if he is going to continue developing.

Brassell believes there is still a very good goalkeeper in Mamardashvili, but questioned whether he is the right player to eventually replace Alisson.

His assessment was that Mamardashvili is unlikely to become Liverpool’s first-choice goalkeeper, particularly with Brughmans now on his way.

Why Liverpool Are Excited About Brughmans

Brughmans’ reputation is one of the main reasons Liverpool appear willing to invest heavily in another young goalkeeper.

Like Courtois, he developed at Genk and has already attracted attention for his physical presence, confidence and ability with the ball at his feet.

Brassell believes his distribution could be one of his biggest strengths, describing him as an unusually gifted goalkeeper when it comes to playing with both his feet and hands.

There are also similarities in their style. Brughmans is a big goalkeeper who can dominate his area, while his unconventional approach to making saves has also drawn comparisons with legendary goalkeepers of the past.

What Could Happen To Mamardashvili?

The most obvious solution could be a move away from Liverpool.

Mamardashvili is still only 25 and has plenty of time to establish himself as a first-choice goalkeeper somewhere else. What he appears to need most right now is regular football.

For Liverpool, meanwhile, the Brughmans deal could represent a long-term succession plan.

The teenager could spend time learning from Alisson before eventually taking over, while Mamardashvili could look for a club where he can play every week.

Brassell’s view is essentially that Liverpool may need to accept that the £30m investment in Mamardashvili has not worked out as originally hoped and move on if the club believes Brughmans is the goalkeeper capable of becoming Alisson’s eventual successor.

For now, though, Mamardashvili remains a Liverpool player. But with Brughmans arriving next summer and Alisson still at the club, the Georgian goalkeeper’s long-term future at Anfield is becoming increasingly difficult to predict.