Liverpool are pushing for £30m transfer to replace 25-year-old as there is 'no chance' he will sign a new deal

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James Pearce had shed some light on why Liverpool are prioritising this summer target.

Liverpool continue to push to sign Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia, as they are still without their first signing of 2024. The Reds remain the only Premier League club not to strengthen this summer and time is rapidly running out.

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There is a little over a week left before the transfer window slams shut but the latest reports suggest that Liverpool are finally closing in on their first recruit. The Reds have reportedly offered an initial £25.6 million for Mamardashvili, with £4.3 million in add-ons. If all goes to plan, the intention is to loan the shot-stopper out straight away before eventually bringing him to Anfield permanently.

Signing a new goalkeeper had not been labelled a priority for Liverpool this summer, with midfielders and defenders taking the spotlight instead. With Mamardashvili now the main focus, some murmurs have started over the future of Alisson.

James Pearce has admitted it was a ‘fair’ reaction from those who have assumed Liverpool are buying a new goalkeeper to potentially replace Alisson. However, the Athletic reporter has insisted this is not the case.

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Speaking on the latest episode of the Walk On podcast, Pearce clarified: “Certainly from the people I’ve spoken to, the idea that Alisson has somehow given Liverpool notice that he intends to move either in 2025 or 2026, I’ve been told isn’t the case.”

Instead, the signing of Mamardashvili has been described as ‘long-term succession planning’, for when Liverpool eventually do need a new No.1 between the sticks. The Georgia international is 23 years old, with a huge stretch of his career still ahead of him.

He could eventually slot in as a natural replacement for Caoimhin Kelleher, who had been holding out for a move elsewhere to become the No.1 goalkeeper. The 25-year-old has been linked with an exit this summer but nothing has come to the surface as of yet.

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“It has been explained to me as long-term succession planning, Liverpool rate this guy incredibly highly and they think that he is available on the market for a price that undervalues him,” Pearce continued. “They think it is a good long-term investment and they will try to loan him out and bring him in at a later point.

“You’ve also got to factor in that Caoimhin Kelleher, as things stand, there is no sign of him getting the move that he clearly wanted this summer. Kelleher only has two years left on his deal and there’s no chance he’s going to commit to a new one. So Liverpool would be in a position where if Kelleher is still there next summer, you will have to sell then or potentially face the reality of losing him for nothing.”

Alisson has recently been the subject of interest from Saudi Arabia clubs, putting him in a similar bracket to Mohamed Salah, Thiago, and those who did actually pursue a move to the Pro League last summer. Pearce has admitted that the interest from Saudi Arabia has ‘not gone away’ but Alisson has shown ‘no desire to go and play over there’. Whether this changes in the near future remains to be seen but right now, the Brazilian appears to be happy and settled where he is.

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