Giorgi Mamardashvili: The Tbilisi Giant Set to Guard Anfield

The Georgian's arrival isn’t just about filling a squad position—it’s a bold investment in the Reds’ future between the posts.

A Keeper of Promise and Poise

Sometimes a transfer slips in under the radar. Not because it lacks weight, but because the story is still writing itself. Giorgi Mamardashvili’s journey to Liverpool fits that script. Signed last summer, but kept on loan at Valencia, he now walks into Anfield ready to compete, not just to make up the numbers. With the new campaign dawning and Arne Slot sharpening his plans, the Georgian arrives as a figure of presence and potential.

At 6’6”, Mamardashvili is not hard to spot. A towering presence with surprisingly graceful footwork, he carries an air of calm that belies his years. Still only 24, he has built a reputation in Spain as one of La Liga’s most reliable shot-stoppers. He has earned that through sheer graft, courage under fire, and more than a few breathtaking saves.

Georgian Roots and a Valencia Platform

Mamardashvili hails from Tbilisi, a city steeped in football tradition, and began his journey with Dinamo Tbilisi’s youth academy. His father, Davit, was also a goalkeeper, and young Giorgi took to the position like it was stitched into his gloves. A string of loan spells at Rustavi and Locomotive Tbilisi toughened him up before Valencia took a chance in 2021. They never looked back.

What started as a reserve signing became a fairytale. Within weeks, Mamardashvili was starting for the first team. The timing was fortuitous, but the performances were deserved. Valencia, a club often lurching from one crisis to the next, found solace in his consistency. He stood firm as others flailed.

In the 2023/24 campaign, he was magnificent. Thirty-seven appearances, eleven clean sheets, and a save percentage north of 77 per cent. But even more impressively, he outperformed his expected goals by over four. That’s not just good keeping. That’s elite shot-stopping.

The 2024/25 La Liga Season

Fast forward to 2024/25, and Mamardashvili’s numbers remain strong, albeit slightly down due to Valencia’s patchy defensive work. He played 34 league matches, kept nine clean sheets, and made 92 saves. His save percentage dipped to 65.7 per cent, but he still conceded fewer goals than the model predicted. His post-shot expected goals (PSxG) over performance was +1.1.

These are not numbers to be sniffed at. Valencia were often exposed, leaving Mamardashvili to mop up the mess. And more often than not, he did. His command of the area, especially during corners and set pieces, was evident. He claimed more high balls per 90 minutes than most La Liga keepers, showing a level of control that will serve him well on Merseyside.

Alisson Becker: The Benchmark at Anfield

Comparisons are inevitable. Alisson Becker has set the standard at Liverpool since his arrival in 2018. And while Mamardashvili is not being brought in to replace him, not yet anyway, he will be expected to push.

Alisson’s 2024/25 campaign was another reminder of his world-class credentials. Twenty-eight Premier League appearances, ten clean sheets, 74 saves from 102 shots. That’s a 72.6 per cent save rate and a goals-conceded-per-90 figure of 0.93. He also made nine saves in one unforgettable Champions League match against PSG. It was the kind of performance that writes its own folklore.

Where Alisson still holds the advantage is in distribution. His pass accuracy is among the best in Europe. Mamardashvili is catching up, but not yet there. Valencia relied on clearances under pressure, while Liverpool demand composure and control. It is a different kind of pressure. But one he looks capable of embracing.

Kelleher’s Exit: A Changing of the Guard

With Caoimhín Kelleher’s departure to Brentford, the door has opened. Kelleher leaves with his head held high. Twenty appearances in all competitions last season, nine clean sheets, and a string of calm, intelligent performances. But like any ambitious professional, he wanted more.

Liverpool have brought in Mamardashvili not as a like-for-like deputy, but as a statement. They did not spend over thirty million pounds to sit him on the bench for two years. They see him as the long-term answer, and possibly the short-term solution if Alisson suffers another injury spell. It is competition, but it is also succession planning.

Tactical Fit Under Arne Slot

Slot likes a keeper who can play. Who can distribute quickly and accurately. Who commands his area and organises his back line. Mamardashvili ticks many of those boxes already. His distribution will improve. That’s a matter of coaching, confidence, and experience.

What he does not need to learn is how to save. His PSxG performance, especially in high-pressure scenarios, shows he already has the reflexes, the positioning, and the judgement. He is brave. He stays big in one-on-ones. And he has the height and strength to dominate in aerial duels.

Distribution heat maps from 2024/25 tell a clear story. Mamardashvili tends to go long, often into the channels. Alisson, by contrast, builds short and clean through midfield. That will have to change. But Liverpool’s coaching team will see this as an opportunity, not a weakness. With time, he can adapt. And with the right drills, he will.

PSxG Breakdown: The Numbers Behind the Gloves

Post-shot expected goals is a measure of how likely a goalkeeper is to save a shot based on where and how it was hit. Mamardashvili conceded 45 goals last season, but the model said he should have conceded closer to 46. That +1.1 difference might not sound dramatic, but across a season, it adds up. It marks him out as a keeper who makes saves others do not.

For context, Alisson regularly posts PSxG overperformance figures between +3 and +5. He is still the master. But Giorgi is closing the gap. And he is doing it in a less structured team, under more pressure, in a less predictable league.

International Duties: The Pride of Georgia

Mamardashvili has become a cornerstone of the Georgian national team. He has earned nearly 30 senior caps and is widely seen as one of the finest footballers his country has produced in recent decades. His performances during European qualifiers and the Nations League have drawn praise, not just for his shot-stopping, but for his leadership at the back.

His presence has lifted Georgia’s defensive stability. And at just 24, he is already being spoken of as a future captain. Playing regularly for Liverpool will only sharpen him further and bring even more respect from his compatriots.

The Great Lineage: Liverpool’s Goalkeeping History

To understand where Mamardashvili could fit in, one must look at where Liverpool have come from. Ray Clemence was a wall during the Shankly and Paisley years. Bruce Grobbelaar brought flamboyance and steel. Jerzy Dudek made history in Istanbul. Pepe Reina redefined the sweeper-keeper role before it was fashionable.

Then came Alisson, whose signing arguably turned Jurgen Klopp’s nearly team into champions. Mamardashvili does not arrive to replace these men, but to write his own chapter in a book that spans generations.

Pundits and Players: What They’re Saying

Jamie Carragher described the signing as “smart business with an eye on tomorrow.” Mark Schwarzer, speaking on commentary, called Mamardashvili “a top five young keeper in Europe.” And closer to home, Valencia coach Ruben Baraja said: “He has everything to be world-class. He just needs the right environment.”

Even Alisson is believed to be welcoming the competition. The Brazilian is known for his professionalism and team-first mindset. A strong training ground rivalry could push both keepers to new heights.

Fan Expectations and First Impressions

Liverpool supporters know a good goalkeeper when they see one. And Mamardashvili’s pre-season appearances will be watched with hawk-like attention. If he shows composure, if he commands his area, and if he starts well, he will be embraced. Anfield is demanding, but it is also generous. It respects graft, and it respects ambition.

One thing is for certain, he is seen not just as a No. 2, but as a genuine heir to the throne. One who could step up now if needed, but who will certainly be ready in time.

A Keeper for the Next Era

In Giorgi Mamardashvili, Liverpool have not just signed a goalkeeper. They have invested in a future. A young man who has seen enough of life to handle the noise. A player with all the tools to become great. And a presence who could one day carry the team from the back, as Alisson has done so masterfully.

This is not a transfer for headlines. It is a transfer for foundations. For what comes next. For the years after the years of glory. And if it works out, we will look back on this move as the moment Liverpool secured their goal for the next generation.

It was always about finding the right man. And maybe, just maybe, Giorgi Mamardashvili is that man.

What Success Could Look Like

If Mamardashvili cements himself in the Liverpool side over the next two to three years, success will not only be measured in clean sheets. It will be measured in his command of the back line, his evolution with the ball, and his ability to rise in big moments. The Champions League knockouts. The Anfield derbies. Those last-minute scrambles with three points on the line.

Should he lift silverware, earn plaudits from legends, and etch his name into the club’s long history of greats, then the journey from Tbilisi to Anfield will stand as a footballing fable. One rooted in promise, patience, and performance.

And in that, Giorgi Mamardashvili may well become more than just a signing. He could become a story Liverpool fans tell for years to come.