Liverpool did plenty of headline-grabbing business during the summer transfer window, with many of the new signings finally starting to purr for Arne Slot.
But while the focus has been on the likes of Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, the Reds also made some smart moves which went a little under the radar.
Amid a busy window, Liverpool completely reshaped their goalkeeping division. Out went coaches Fabian Otte and Claudio Taffarel, with long-time back-up Caoimhin Kelleher and third-choice Vitezslav Jaros also leaving either permanently or on loan.
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Alisson before Marseille vs Liverpool - UEFA Champions League
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Liverpool replaced Kelleher and Jaros with Giorgi Mamardashvili and Freddie Woodman while also snapping up young Hungarian keeper Armin Pecsi for a seven-figure sum.
Liverpool have high hopes for Pecsi, but with three senior goalkeepers ahead of him, the 20-year-old has been playing with the youth team this season. Little has been spoken about Pecsi over the course of the season, but he appears to be quietly making steps towards a future with the first-team.
Armin Pecsi nominated for PL2 Player of the Month
It can be really hard for young goalkeepers to stand out at youth level. Every mistake is scrutinised and the pathway to the first-team is more rigidly blocked than in any other position.
Nevertheless, Kelleher’s ascension through the ranks proved that it is possible, and it seems that Liverpool have a similarly long-term plan for Pecsi.
Armin Pecsi pictured on the ball during Liverpool U21s match against Manchester United at the AXA Training Centre
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For now, however, the youngster is playing with the U21s, where he has just been nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award.
As posted by the official LFC Academy account on X, the Reds have three players up for the gong. Keyrol Figueroa and Kieran Morrison join Pecsi in the running.
While the other two players could become more permanent options for Slot in the future, Pecsi feels like the one most likely to genuinely make an impact. He is certainly on the right path.
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Virgil van Dijk sees the potential in Pecsi
Just after his arrival last summer, captain Virgil van Dijk made a point to mention Pecsi as he evaluated the Reds’ arrivals.
“We don’t speak about Armin, a young goalie who just came in, has settled in pretty well,” said the Dutchman.
Settling is arguably more important for a goalkeeper than any other position on the pitch. As his latest award nomination shows, Pecsi has certainly done that.
Of course, there is the slight caveat that his pathway to the first-team is currently blocked by Alisson Becker, Mamardashvili and Woodman. But Alisson could leave next summer, leaving Mamardashvili to emerge as the new number one.
From there, it could be that Liverpool see Pecsi as their new number two, or if Alisson does stay, he could possibly slip into Woodman’s gloves as the Englishman seeks more regular football. Either way, Pecsi is going the right way to securing a career with Liverpool and that in itself is cause for excitement.
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