Giorgi Mamardashvili's Future at Liverpool: A Warning from Stan Collymore
Stan Collymore has warned Giorgi Mamardashvili that he may have to walk away from Liverpool now that Alisson Becker has stayed put at Anfield.
The Georgian goalkeeper arrived from Valencia last season with a growing reputation, but his first campaign in England was anything but smooth. He played 20 times across all competitions, losing 12 of those games and coming under fire for a string of uncertain displays while covering for the injured Alisson.
Those minutes might now dry up. Alisson, heavily linked with Juventus earlier in the summer, has not only remained at the club but has been confirmed as vice-captain by new boss Andoni Iraola. That leaves Mamardashvili staring at a season behind one of the world’s leading goalkeepers.
For Collymore, that is a red flag.
“Goalkeepers and strikers need regular match minutes to develop – you cannot refine spatial awareness or match sharpness purely from the bench,” the former Liverpool forward told 10bet, stressing that stagnation is a real danger for a player at Mamardashvili’s age.
The 25-year-old turns 26 next month. This, Collymore argues, is no time to drift through a season as a spectator.
“If Mamardashvili is told he won't feature in key Premier League or Champions League fixtures, seeking an immediate loan is the smartest career move,” he said. In his view, accepting a long-term understudy role would do more than just slow progress – it would shape how the rest of Europe views him.
“Accepting a pure backup role for extended periods risks framing a player as a secondary option in the eyes of other top European clubs. He needs to proactively seek regular first-team football to maintain his career momentum.”
Collymore pointed to a familiar pattern in the modern game: players arriving with big expectations, then realising quickly the pathway is blocked.
“There have been many players who join a football club and move on within a couple of months. It won't be the first time, and it won't be the last,” he said. The danger, in his eyes, lies in allowing the next six months to paint Mamardashvili as a man content with life in the shadows.
“What Mamardashvili cannot afford to do is let the narrative set for the next six months that he is content simply being Alisson's understudy. If he accepts that, other clubs will look at him and ask why they should trust him as a number one if he lacks that internal drive.”
Collymore compared the situation to that of James Trafford, another highly rated young goalkeeper battling the perception that he is too comfortable on the bench.
“That mirrors the James Trafford situation. Rivals will assume he is happy sitting on the bench, taking the occasional League Cup start or meaningless Champions League group fixture. Why would you throw a goalkeeper like that straight into the Bernabéu against Real Madrid?”
For Collymore, the solution is blunt and immediate. No waiting. No hoping for an injury or a dip in form from Alisson.
“The first thing a player in that position must do after pre-season is speak directly to the manager: ‘Am I going to play in the matches that truly matter?’ If the manager cannot offer those guarantees, you request an immediate loan move.”
Alisson’s status at Liverpool looks as strong as ever. The question now is whether Mamardashvili is prepared to gamble another season on the bench – or force the move that proves he still sees himself as a No.1.
