One of Liverpool’s two leading goalkeepers are expected to leave the club at the end of the current campaign, creating a major dilemma for Andoni Iraola to address next summer.
Alisson Becker is currently Liverpool’s undisputed starter between the posts, as he has been since joining the club back in 2018. An extraordinary, trophy-laden spell on Merseyside could come to an end soon, however, with the 33-year-old’s contract expiring next summer.
The Brazilian, who was recently linked with a move to Juventus, could realistically leave when his deal runs out, and it was expected that Giorgi Mamardashvili would succeed him.
The former Valencia goalkeeper was signed off the back of an impressive Euro 2024 campaign for Georgia, staying in Spain for one more year until 2025. But he’s yet to convince during his 21 appearances for the Reds. Naturally, that has cast doubt over his long-term future.
Speaking on the Walk On podcast, Liverpool correspondent for The Athletic, James Pearce, admitted that one of the club’s goalkeepers appears likely to leave next summer. Either Alisson will depart as a free agent, or Mamardashvili will exit in search of more regular game time.
“If Alisson does stay, Mamardashvili isn’t going to tolerate being backup for a third successive season,” said Pearce.
“If Alisson stays, that probably means that Mamardashvili goes, and then they’ve invested a lot of money in this young Belgian goalkeeper, Lucca Brughmans. Then you’ve got [Vítězslav] Jaroš; he’ll be back [from injury] in a few months. They’ve got Ármin Pécsi, who’s out on loan in Austria at the moment.
“I get the feeling that they’re quite happy with what they’ve got further down the line in terms of five, six, seven years’ time, but the immediate future is really uncertain.”
Liverpool’s Goalkeeping Dilemma Analyzed
On paper, extending Alisson’s current contract seems a no-brainer. He still ranks among the world’s best goalkeepers when healthy and, despite turning 34 next week, can enjoy at least a few more years at the elite level.
However, Alisson’s availability is the main barrier to a renewal. With him having been regularly affected by injuries issues in recent years, Liverpool have been forced to call upon his deputy on a frequent basis—whether that’s been Caoimhín Kelleher in the past, or now Mamardashvili.
Alisson has played no more than 35 games across all competitions in each of his last three seasons, which means he’s missed 73 matches with 11 different injury or illness layoffs. Hamstring problems have been particularly common.
It makes sense, therefore, for Liverpool to plan without Alisson in their future, but Mamardashvili’s questionable performances in the veteran’s absence have only exacerbated a growing conundrum.
While an adept shot-stopper capable of making some eye-catching saves, the Georgian’s rogue distribution and penchant for errors have made him an unreliable replacement. Liverpool’s recent Carabao Cup victory over Tottenham Hotspur was the perfect example of Mamardashvili’s duality.
Choosing between Alisson and Mamardashvili will prove a tough decision.
Are Liverpool’s Young Guns Ready to Step Up?
The fact Liverpool splashed big money on 18-year-old goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans over the summer hints at their uncertainty over Alisson and Mamardashvili’s future.
The precocious teenager has been loaned back to Genk for the current campaign, but there’s a feeling he will be ready to play his part for the Reds next season.
Brughmans has already made 18 appearances for the Belgian team and will rack up plenty more minutes before the current term concludes. That invaluable experience makes him a candidate to feature as Liverpool’s deputy in the near future, but he certainly won’t be trusted to be the club’s first-choice goalkeeper for some time—barring a truly remarkable season with Genk.
Pécsi, who was signed in 2025 as a future star, also remains some distance off making a significant impact for Liverpool, and the 21-year-old is currently on loan in Austria with TSV Hartberg—where he’s earned his spot as their primary goalkeeper.
However, Jaroš, who has been at Liverpool since 2020, appears unlikely to make the cut at Anfield despite loan spells with Sturm Graz and Ajax, and could leave permanently in the near future.
While Iraola has some promising options for the future, Alisson or Mamardashvili will have to be backed next season if Liverpool want to avoid spending even more money on goalkeepers.
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