3 months ago
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Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images
If Liverpool want Giorgi Mamardashvili the price just went up from €35M to €40M according to sources in Spain.
Liverpool’s pursuit of Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili remains one of the stranger transfer sagas of the summer, with it well documented the Reds want the top rated Georgia international and intend to stash him at Bournemouth a year while Alisson Becker remains their number one.
Initially, talk was of a €30M deal with Valencia said to be being willing to sell at that price and the player himself eager for the move. The latter part hasn’t changed, but the cost and Valencia’s willingness in the end hasn’t been quite as straightforward.
In order to get the deal across the line, the fee soon ticked up to €35M. Liverpool were able to get there with the help of a €5M loan fee being chipped in by Bournemouth, something that last week was reported as being enough to satisfy Valencia. Now, though, they want another €5M from Liverpool.
That’s the story at least from Spanish outlet GolsMedia, who say Valencia owner Peter Lim’s actual valuation of the goalkeeper is €40M and having rejected a previous approach from Newcastle that didn’t meet it he will do the same now.
In short, Liverpool will have to pay up if they want Mamardashvili. Which by all accounts it appears they very much do, even if his big money transfer will only help Bournemouth this season and even if their are longer term question marks about his suitability as a Liverpool target due to sub-par distribution skills.
The 23-year-old is clearly an elite shot stopper, though, amongst the game’s best young players at his position. If the Reds believe they will lose Alisson next season—which this saga implies they will—they may need to pay up to get in the player they appear to see as his successor.
