La Liga leaders Barcelona were reportedly interested in Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili before he signed a permanent deal with Premier League giants Liverpool. Hansi Flick’s side had received good reports on the 23-year-old and thought he would be an excellent successor to Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Barcelona Held an Interest in Liverpool Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili
Arne Slot’s Liverpool reached an agreement with Valencia over the transfer of Mamardashvili in the final week of August 2024. However, since Alisson is still very much at the top of his game, Liverpool allowed Mamardashvili to continue at Valencia for the 2024-25 season. The Reds agreed to pay an upfront €30 million ($33.6 million) fee and to wire €5 million ($5.6 million) more if he met pre-determined sporting objectives.
Liverpool did not face much competition to sign Mamardashvili, but, according to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona was very much interested in signing the Georgia international. The Blaugrana did not throw their hat in the ring because of complete confidence in Ter Stegen and their tricky financial situation.
Having missed the opportunity to sign the goalkeeper during the 2024-25 summer transfer window, Barca may not get another chance any time soon. Liverpool is one of the biggest clubs in Europe and has an excellent retention rate. Unless Mamardashvili falls out with the manager or staff, he should be able to enjoy a prolonged career at Anfield Stadium.
With Mamardashvili out of reach, Barca could try to sign FC Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa as Ter Stegen’s long-term replacement.
Barca in the Market for Goalkeepers After Ter Stegen Injury
Barcelona’s first-choice goalkeeper Ter Stegen sustained a horrible knee injury in the 5-1 win over Villarreal on September 21. On September 23, Barca confirmed the Germany international had undergone a successful surgery but could not predict a possible return date. According to reports, he could spend the remainder of the 2024-25 season on the sidelines.
Inaki Pena will fill in for Ter Stegen for the time being, but Barcelona wants to add a more experienced keeper to their ranks as soon as possible. As per Barca Universal, Wojciech Szczesny and Keylor Navas are the top names at the top of Barca’s wishlist. While Szczesny retired after leaving Juventus in August, Navas is currently without a club. This means the club would be able to register either keeper right away.
