Richard Hughes told £29m transfer has failed already

Liverpool welcomed Giorgi Mamardashvili to the club last summer.

A star for Georgia at Euro 2024 Richard Hughes opted to sign the goalkeeper following the tournament. But he remained on loan with LaLiga side Valencia for the 2024/25 season before arriving at Anfield.

It’s fair to say Mamardashvili has endured a frustrating spell on Merseyside thus far - not coming close to challenging Alisson Becker for his first-team role.

And now El Desmarque is claiming that the shot-stopper’s patience has run out - declaring his move to Liverpool a failure.

“The initial plan—sign him, loan him to Valencia CF for a year, and then bring him to Liverpool to replace Alisson Becker—has failed,” the report reads.

“His hopes, the promise that he arrived to replace the Brazilian, have come to nothing, and his patience has run out.”

Giorgi Mamardashvili: Situation summary

Giorgi Mamardashvili finally arrived at Liverpool in 2025‑26 after the pre‑agreed move from Valencia, joining for around €35m on a long‑term deal to act as Alisson’s understudy and potential successor.

He has started a handful of Premier League games and played in Champions League and domestic ties, giving Arne Slot a proper look at him in high‑level fixtures without ever threatening Alisson’s status.

Performances have broadly matched the scouting reports: big frame, aggressive in his area, excellent reflexes and one‑v‑one presence, with the odd shaky moment under crosses and some ongoing adaptation to Liverpool’s build‑up patterns.

Inside the club, his first year is viewed as a bedding‑in season rather than a verdict.

The live question for 2026‑27 is whether he transitions into a more genuine succession plan if Alisson’s availability dips, or whether Liverpool ultimately treat him as a high‑value asset in a market that is already aware he can play for a Champions League club.

Analysis

And now with the player having grown fed up it looks like Valencia are making plans to bring him home. The report claims there is a good chance that Los Che will move for a new starting goalkeeper in the off-season.

And an attempt to sign their “idol” Mamardashvili at this stage cannot be ruled out.

“Valencia CF is closely monitoring Mamardashvili's next move, primarily because if a transfer were to occur, they would receive compensation for training rights (this mechanism allows clubs that trained a player between the ages of 12 and 23 to share 5% of the transfer fee, with Valencia CF receiving 1%), but above all, because they retain a 10% stake in any future sale,” the report reads.

“Not forgetting that Valencia CF is looking for a goalkeeper for next season and Giorgi left the door open at Mestalla, where he is idolized.”

So Liverpool may well have a choice to make - satisfy Mamardashvili’s demands for first-team football by either selling or dropping Alisson or else consider letting the Georgian go and moving on.

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