Liverpool land GK Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia: Why would Reds spend £25 million when they have Alisson?

Liverpool officially signed Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia on Tuesday, completing an unconventional first signing of the window that feels like a focus on the future for his new club -- and an emphasis on the present for his old side.

The Reds will pay a transfer fee of £25 million for the 23-year-old Mamardashvili, per The Athletic, in a deal that also includes up to £4 million in add-ons as well as a loan back to Valencia for the 2024-25 season. The goalkeeper joins Liverpool after playing for Georgia at Euro 2024, playing all four Games in his national team's first-ever major international tournament and earning plaudits by making 11 saves in Georgia's 1-1 group stage draw with Czechia.

Though Mamardashvili has been linked with a move to Liverpool for several weeks, his loan back to Valencia feels like an admission that he does not immediately fill a need on the team, which makes the move a bit of a surprise. Unexpected moves are not unfamiliar to Mamardashvili, though -- he joined Valencia in 2021 for a transfer fee of under £1 million at age 19, his only experience in his native Georgia. He was, though, amongst UEFA's top 50 players to watch that same year and ended up living to the billing. In addition to his performances at the Euros, Mamardashvili set a team record with his 60th consecutive start in January, a constant source of reliability for Valencia.

The Spanish club will now make a Healthy profit after scouting Mamardashvili well before he emerged on the international stage, landing a much-needed cash injection in the process. Valencia have been in financial turmoil in recent years despite Singaporean stockbroker Peter Lim's takeover of the club a decade ago, frequently making cost-cutting measures. Plans to move into the Nou Mestalla have also been impacted by the financial situation -- the club was initially scheduled to move into the new stadium in time for the 2009-10 season but has yet to do so.

The convenience of the transfer is easy to explain on Valencia's part, though the timing inspires plenty of questions about Liverpool's plans for goalkeepers moving forward. Brazil international Alisson has held command of the position since 2018 and there were few concerns that the 31-year-old would not be up for the task for the 2024-25 season. He is likely still the goalkeeper for Liverpool's immediate future, considering his contract with the club does not expire until 2026 with an option year and he recently turned down a move to Saudi Arabia.

"I want to honor my contract and finish my contract here or make a new one," Alisson said this month, per ESPN. "I am really happy here. My family is happy. I never got to the point where I was talking about wages and things like this. It was just interest, but when you hear about the numbers the other players are getting you are a little bit attracted. That is normal. At the end of the day, you play Football for love, it is the thing you like to do, but it is our profession and we want to use the years that we have to make the most of it.

"I think I am open to that personally but not now. Now is not the time. While I still have my contract here, I will be focused here. If it is in the interest of the club to negotiate [to sell] me, then it will be a different conversation. When the interest from Saudi came, I cannot close the door on a big deal [without thinking]. But my decision was always to stay and focus on the things we can achieve, this new beginning and this new start, and I am really excited about that. We are starting fresh with new energy and looking forward to what this season will bring for us."

Alisson's intent to finish out his Liverpool deal, though, could set up for a fierce goalkeeper battle sooner rather than later at the club. The Reds have three shot-stoppers whose deals expire in 2026, including current Alisson understudy Caoimhín Kelleher and Vitezslav Jaros. Mamardashvili is expected to rank above Kelleher and Jaros in the pecking order when he arrives at Anfield, should the other two still be there. When Mamardashvili takes the mantle from Alisson, as is currently expected of him, will be a big question as Liverpool map out life after Jurgen Klopp.