Richard Hughes' GENIUS Liverpool transfer decision proved by INCREDIBLE moment | OneFootball

Richard Hughes' GENIUS Liverpool transfer decision proved by INCREDIBLE moment | OneFootball

Icon: Anfield Watch

Anfield Watch

·17 November 2024

Richard Hughes' GENIUS Liverpool transfer decision proved by INCREDIBLE moment

Article image:Richard Hughes' GENIUS Liverpool transfer decision proved by INCREDIBLE moment

Life under Arne Slot has been nothing short of a dream for Liverpool supporters and the Reds currently look unstoppable.

Liverpool sit five points clear at the top of the Premier League table and are the only team to still boast a 100% record in the UEFA Champions League.


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Slot’s early season success follows a fairly quiet first transfer window, with Federico Chiesa being the only addition to the playing squad last summer.

Although Chiesa was the only player that the Reds actually signed, a deal was also agreed for Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who will make the move to Merseyside next summer.

Richard Hughes’ first Liverpool masterstroke

When the deal for Mamardashvili was announced in the summer it was confirmed that he would spend one more season at Valencia, the club the Reds are signing him from, before making the move to Anfield.

This is in part due to Liverpool’s stacked goalkeeping department but will also give the 24-year-old more chance of playing time.

This now looks like an excellent bit of business from Richard Hughes as Mamardashvili has maintained the extremely high level he showed in last summer's Euros.

He has also played every minute available for Valencia this season, a luxury he would not have been afforded at Liverpool.

Mamardashvili once again showed Reds what they have to look forward to when he produced an extraordinary double save in added time to keep his Georgia side in their UEFA Nations League game against Ukraine on Saturday night.

Mamardashvili will fit right in at Liverpool

After enjoying an excellent campaign in the 2023/24 season, Mamardashvili was one of the breakout stars at Euro 2024, and he hasn’t dropped off since.

For Valencia last season he conceded 39 goals despite facing 50.3 expected goals, this means the Georgian prevent 11.3 goals, which was the most in La Liga.

Now, playing in a very poor Valencia side that sit bottom of the league, Mamardashvili has continued to impress.

The 24-year-old’s double save against Ukraine was just one of a number of highlights the Georgian has created this season and the future of Liverpool’s goalkeeping department seems to be in safe hands.

Mamardashvili could spend time as the understudy to Alisson next season if Caoimhin Kelleher leaves Anfield, but it may not be too long before the Georgian is the Reds number one ‘keeper, and the Anfield faithful will be excited to see just how good their new goalkeeper can be.

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