Valencia's shot-stopper Giorgi Mamardashvili is facing a period out of action due to a thigh injury sustained while playing for the club.
The Georgian international, who is set to join Liverpool after an agreement was reached last summer, has been a key player for Valencia in La Liga this campaign but encountered the injury during the 1-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano. Despite finishing the match, he needed in-game treatment and subsequent medical tests have now confirmed the extent of his injury.
Valencia released a statement on Tuesday, which said: "Giorgi Mamardashvili has been diagnosed with an injury to the rectus femoris of his right leg, sustained in the match against Rayo Vallecano at Mestalla. The club's medical services have decided that the goalkeeper will continue with medical treatment and physiotherapy at the Ciudad Deportiva."
Mamardashvili caught Liverpool's eye with his performances for Georgia at Euro 2024 and has continued to impress despite Valencia's struggles near the bottom of the league table, where the team sits in 19th place with only two wins from 14 matches, albeit with games in hand.
Mamardashvili's three clean sheets this season will be sorely missed by Valencia as it grapples with its on-pitch woes. In other news, Liverpool has recently seen the return of Alisson from a lengthy hamstring injury lay-off.
The Brazilian has had a tough year with injuries, having been out of action since early October. However, the Reds' first-choice keeper is now back in full training and was part of the squad that travelled for the Champions League match against Girona on Tuesday.
Caoimhin Kelleher has stepped up admirably in Alisson's absence, despite expressing a desire to leave last summer for more game time. It will be interesting to see how Liverpool manage its goalkeeping situation when Mamardashvili officially comes on board next summer.