Credit: Imago / TJ Sports USA on YouTube

Dan Godfrey

Sat 5 April 2025 20:59, UK

Liverpool supporters are eagerly awaiting the summer arrival of Giorgi Marmadashvili at Anfield to join the goalkeeping ranks of Arne Slot.

The Valencia and Georgia stopper will join on a free transfer on 1 July, and performed heroics on Saturday (5 April) as his side pulled off a stunning late victory at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid, potentially denying Los Blancos the La Liga title.

Valencia are still embroiled in a battle to remain in the Spanish top flight and the unlikely win – courtesy of Hugo Duro’s 95th-minute decider – has gone some way to achieving that as they go five unbeaten.

Trent Alexander-Arnold dig made as Marmadashvili congratulated

Liverpool fans’ relationship with Real Madrid has become fractious as news has developed of Alexander-Arnold’s free transfer to the Spanish capital in the summer.

Many Reds are divided on how they feel about their boyhood supporter and academy graduate walking away for nothing, and consequently see Real losing as a small indirect victory – especially given its importance in La Liga’s title race.

Fans swarmed to X to congratulate 24-year-old Marmadashvili after his excellent display was followed by a social media post (5 April) exclaiming “Amunt” – an originally Catalan expression meaning “come on” or “let’s go”.

One decided to take a dig at Alexander-Arnold’s expense, while others gave their future ‘keeper the backhanded compliment of “best third-choice in the world” and already branded him a “Liverpool legend”.

Liverpool goalkeeping situation could change

Slot has his work cut out over the coming months, working with the goalkeeping department at Anfield to organise his long-term strategy for options between the sticks.

Alisson, 32, has been an iconic Liverpool stopper for years and remains under contract until 2027. Marmadashvili will certainly not be arriving as first-choice, no matter how well he performs in Valencia’s run-in or how much he burst onto the world scene at Euro 2024.

Caoimhin Kelleher’s situation is more immediate. The 26-year-old will have just 12 months remaining on his contract at the end of this season and has reached a point in his career where he has to be first-choice somewhere, particularly with another established competitor arriving in Marmadashvili.

Kelleher has played four full games within the past three weeks, playing the Carabao Cup final and Merseyside derby for Liverpool, and two matches for the Republic of Ireland at their international camp.

Reserve ‘keepers Vitezslav Jaros and Harvey Davies are both out of contract in the summer and could move on, meaning Slot would likely sanction a new third-choice.

But by the summer transfer deadline day of 1 September this year, it is widely anticipated that Alisson and then Marmadashvili will be options one and two for Slot, with Kelleher taking the number one jersey elsewhere.