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Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili will need to be patient this season after arriving from Valencia for a fee of around $38 million (£29 million), initially as back-up to Alisson Becker.
But former Reds shot-stopper David James believes he is a strong option for Arne Slot to have on his roster. And long term, Mamardashvili could take over from Alisson as the number one.
"You have to understand Liverpool haven’t looked at Mamardashvili and thought 'We need to fill a gap here'," James, who made 277 appearances for the Anfield side between 1992 and 1999, told the PA news agency at an event for Carlsberg.
"Liverpool is one of the biggest clubs in the world, and it’s not often you get asked twice. Mamardashvili has come in as a direct challenger.
"He will have to believe he is good enough to play for Liverpool, one of the toughest goalkeeping positions in world football. But he has played at major tournaments and international finals and excelled, so I don’t think the occasion is going to faze him.
"It will just be interesting if he doesn’t start the season, how motivated he will be to wait for his opportunities, because he will get opportunities."
This summer, Caoimhin Kelleher has departed Liverpool to join Brentford. Alisson is still under contract for two more years but has missed a number of games through injury in recent seasons.
"There has to be competition in the goalkeeping area," James said. "With Mamardashvili, we have got another young, talented goalkeeper.
"If he doesn’t get in the Liverpool side, it will be because he has pushed Ali to be the best and that is what Liverpool want.
"If he does get in the side, it will be because he has been better than Ali, which will mean he will be amazing. But the environment in that squad means whoever is playing it will be understood that is the best player in goal for Liverpool to be successful."
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Alisson is expected to return to the side for the weekend's Community Shield clash with Crystal Palace. He has been missing lately because of a personal matter.
"He had to go back to Brazil," Slot said before the game with Yokohama Marinos in Japan. "That's far from ideal... for him to not be there in a game like this.
"And in pre-season, it's also not ideal if you miss out on part of the preseason. But again, private life is more important in these matters than joining a game today."
Liverpool.com says: Alisson is a great goalkeeper but he does get injuries at times, so Mamardashvili will have a few chances to step in. Long term, he has the talent to show he can be the number one, with Alisson having already confirmed his intentions to one day return to playing in Brazil.
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