Giorgi Mamardashvili has opened up about his future plans ahead of his summer move to Liverpool
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Giorgi Mamardashvili is interviewed ahead of his final home game for Valencia and summer move to Liverpool
Giorgi Mamardashvili is interviewed ahead of his final home game for Valencia and summer move to Liverpool
(Image: Geo Team - YouTube)
Giorgi Mamardashvili has shut down the possibility of leaving Liverpool on loan this summer. The Georgia international is set to join the Reds at the end of the season after they agreed a £29m deal with Valencia last August.
The arrival of the 24-year-old is expected to result in Caoimhin Kelleher being granted an Anfield exit, with the Republic of Ireland international having made no secret of his desire to become a first-choice goalkeeper.
Alisson Becker remains the undisputed first choice No.1 at Liverpool, and is expected to retain his place even after the arrival of Mamardashvili. And the Georgian is looking forward to training alongside the Brazilian as he revealed the Reds had been open with the goalkeeper regarding their long-term plans for him.
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“They are looking at me as the Liverpool goalkeeper for the next 10 years,” he told Geo Team when asked what the Reds told him during transfer negotiations last year. “My next step will be the same as it was in Valencia.
“I will go and prove it and do what I can. The main thing is patience, training and hard work. And everything else will come by itself.
“I think it will be good. Training with (Alisson) will help me grow too and I will gain a lot of experience with him.”
Mamardashvili would then shake his head and say 'no' in response to being asked, ‘In other words, Giorgio Mamardashvili is not considering a loan?’ before confirming he intends to remain at Liverpool.
The Georgian hasn’t spoken to Arne Slot or any of his new Liverpool team-mates, but he has remained in contact with club bosses and the Reds’ goalkeeping department throughout the season.
“No, I haven't spoken to the main man (Arne Slot), but I have direct contact with the goalkeeper (coach) and we talk all the time,” he revealed. “Yes, they have even visited several times.
“They even came and talked to me from Liverpool. Of course, yes, they give you a lot of attention.”
Meanwhile, Mamardashvili paid tribute to Jose Manuel Ochotorena ahead of his Valencia exit as he admitted it will be difficult to leave the La Liga club.
The Spaniard previously spent three years as Liverpool’s goalkeeping coach under Rafa Benitez after joining the Reds alongside the former Valencia boss in 2004 and was a member of the backroom staff that memorably won the Champions League in Istanbul in 2005.
Returning to Valencia after leaving Liverpool, Ochotorena has worked alongside Mamardashvili since he joined the club in 2021, with the Georgian highlighting the former Reds coach’s role in his development.
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“It’s not easy to say goodbye after four years,” he admitted. “They’ve literally raised me. I’ve been here since I was 19, and it will be very difficult.
“Ochotorena is a person, if it weren’t for him, I probably wouldn’t have been able to play, not only at this level, but I wouldn’t have been able to play in Valencia.
“In my opinion, he helped me a lot. He was there for me during difficult times when I had bad games and failed.
“Even in good games, we talked all the time. He helped me psychologically and stood by me a lot.”