Arne Slot and Richard Hughes facing AGONISING Alisson conundrum

Liverpool signed Giorgi Mamardashvili last summer for a fee that could reach £29 million.

Sporting director Richard Hughes took the opportunity to strike for the Valencia goalkeeper - who starred at Euro 2024 for Georgia.

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As part of the deal, the 24-year-old would remain on loan at Los Che for the 2024/25 season and he has once again proven to be a pivotal figure for the LaLiga side.

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Given his age, stature and transfer fee, Mamardashvili will be expecting to take his place at No1 at Anfield next season. But the complication in the plan - for another two years at least - is the presence of Alisson Becker.

The 32-year-old remains among the world’s best in the position - as evidenced by his performance in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals against Paris Saint-Germain.

He is not going to simply hand the gloves to Mamardashvili.

Mamardashvili wants to be No1

Alisson is under contract until 2027 and earns around £210k per week according to reports. Liverpool have got themselves into a situation where they have TWO No1s ahead of next season. Something has got to give.

Will Mamardashvili be content with a bench role given he has established himself as a top-class first-choice keeper?

That was the conundrum facing Caoimhin Kelleher - and the Irish international is expected to leave now and find a club to give him a regular starting role.

But Mamardashvili isn’t coming to replace Kelleher; he’s coming to replace Alisson.

So what do Liverpool do?

The latest reports indicate Alisson is going to REMAIN Liverpool's No1 under Slot. But there are certain considerations the club should be taking in order to form a long-term view.

The drawbacks of keeping Alisson

Firstly, there is the question of Alisson’s physical fitness. Kelleher plays more than many other reserve keepers around top European clubs - 20 times this season - quite simply because Alisson finds himself on the sidelines too often for a player in his position.

He missed two months earlier this campaign - including matches against Real Madrid and Manchester City - and returned to the lineup with a tour de force performance against Girona in the Champions League.

And following that game, Alisson embarked on a curious run of fixtures where he was conceding far too high a volume of shots on target.

He picked things up as the Reds wrapped up the league title but there are indications that he may be approaching the end of his peak.

With two years on his contract - and given his standing in the game - he could attract significant bids in the summer transfer window should Liverpool choose to listen to them.

Should Liverpool consider bids for Alisson?

Last summer he was the target of Saudi clubs and Anfield Watch reported he was happy to hear what they had to say. Transfer rumours are growing once again, with Galatasaray said to be prominent in the bidding.

The presence of a Gala legend on Liverpool’s coaching staff at the behest of Alisson in the shape of Taffarel adds an intriguing twist.

If Liverpool can get a bid worth £25m or £30m then they may be tempted to bring forward the succession plan which includes Mamardashvili.

Over the course of the next two seasons it will become apparent that Liverpool will be paying wages to two No1 goalkeepers when there is space in the team for only one of them.

So who budges?

Mamardashvili is nearly a decade younger than Alisson and Liverpool have bet big on him.

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If Liverpool plan on cashing in when it comes to Alisson then they’ll have to do it soon. There promises to be big alterations to the squad this summer - can Arne Slot and Richard Hughes afford one more?