Liverpool star 'going nowhere' despite signing of £29m rival

Several of Liverpool’s top stars are facing uncertainty in the upcoming transfer window.

Although Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have renewed their contracts until 2027, other players have got their futures under scrutiny.

READ MORE: Liverpool coach CONFIRMS star has rejected mega offer

That list includes Ibrahima Konate - out of contract in 2026 - as well as Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez.

READ MORE: Five left-backs Liverpool could sign INSTEAD of Milos Kerkez

Sporting director Richard Hughes and head coach Arne Slot have been tipped to move for upgrades - especially up front where Jonathan David and Hugo Ekitike have been linked.

All successful clubs conduct long-term squad planning and Liverpool are no different.

Alisson set to remain as Liverpool No1

They swooped in ahead of the competition for Georgia’s Euro 2024 hero Giorgi Mamardashvili last summer - allowing the goalkeeper to remain on loan at Valencia for the 2024/25 season.

Having paid £25m - rising to a potential £29m in total - Liverpool have made a significant investment in the 24-year-old. He will be first-choice at Anfield eventually but his path to the first team is going to be complicated in the short term by Alisson Becker.

Liverpool’s No1 has reestablished himself as the world’s best this season and despite links to Saudi Arabia he looks set to remain at the club.

That is according to the latest report from James Pearce of the Athletic, who states the Brazilian has made a “huge contribution” to the recent Premier League title win.

Mamardashvili to REPLACE Kelleher

“After spurning interest from clubs in the Saudi Pro League last summer, Alisson has made a huge contribution to Liverpool’s title triumph and is going nowhere,” he writes.

That puts Richard Hughes’ new signing on a collision course with the current first-choice, with the Georgia international making it clear he doesn’t want to settle for a bench role.

But that may be the prospect facing Mamardashvili, with it now reckoned he will REPLACE Caoimhin Kelleher as reserve goalkeeper should the Irishman depart as expected.

“The expectation is that backup Caoimhin Kelleher will leave Liverpool this summer, with Mamardashvili taking his place in the squad,” Pearce writes.

That echoes what Liverpool goalkeeping coach Taffarel said earlier this week - emphasising the high bar that Alisson has set.

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That’s not going to be music to the ears of Mamardashvili and his entourage, with Alisson under contract until 2027.