I will fight for Liverpool starting place - even if £67m star does not leave the team

Giorgi Mamardashvili has insisted he will battle for a Liverpool starting spot even if Alisson Becker remains at the club.

Mamardashvili joined the Reds from Valencia for a fee of up to £29 million in the summer transfer window. But the goalkeeper stayed at the Spanish outfit for the remainder of the season and will complete a switch to Anfield in July 2025.

Alisson is the current No.1 stopper at Liverpool, having been so since his £67 million arrival from AS Roma in 2018. The Brazil international has helped the Reds regain their spot within Europe’s elite, winning seven major trophies on Merseyside - including the Champions League and Premier League.

However, Alisson’s current contract expires in 2026 although the club have the option to extend it by a year. Still, sections of supporters have predicted that Mamardashvili will become first choice when he does arrive, with Alisson having previously been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.

But even if Alisson stays at the club, Mamardashvili has insisted he will try to become a regular starter. Speaking to Georgian television's First Channel (via El Desmarque), he said: "I was attracted by the Liverpool project when the club's representatives met with me to sign me. I will fight for the starting goalkeeper position, even if the current goalkeeper does not leave the team.”

Mamardashvili’s Valencia have endured a difficult start to the season. They sit in the La Liga relegation zone after nine fixtures but the 23-year-old believes that Valencia can pick up results after a tough opening run of fixtures.

"I am fully focused, 100 per cent, on helping my team keep its place in La Liga,” he added. I will work hard for that. Also, we have not been lucky with the schedule at the start of the season. We have had to play against big teams like Barcelona, ​​Atlético [Madrid] and Athletic [Bilbao]. Now there are matches coming up in which we can take points. We look to the future with hope.”