LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool signed Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia on Tuesday in a deal that will see him stay at the Spanish team on loan for the remainder of the season.
Liverpool will reportedly pay 30 million euros (£25 million, $34 million) plus a further five million euros in add-ons for their first signing of the transfer window. The transfer is subject to a work permit and international clearance.
The 23-year-old Mamardashvili impressed for Georgia at the recent European Championship, helping the country reach the last 16 in its first appearance at a major tournament.
He has been at Valencia since joining from Dinamo Tbilisi and has kept 31 clean sheets in 102 matches.
Mamardashvili might be viewed as the long-term successor to Alisson Becker, the 31-year-old Brazil international who has been at Liverpool since 2018 and is regarded as one of the world’s best goalkeepers.
Alisson still has two years left on his contract at Anfield but backed the move for Mamardashvili.
"I think the club needs to prepare for the future. We are not going to last forever here," the Brazilian told the Liverpool Echo.
"I think it was a good idea, I knew about that (Mamardashvili) before it came out on social media and that is a good message for me because the club cares about what I think."
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
