How Giorgi Mamardashvili is piling pressure on Alisson, what Ibrahima Konate's social media outbursts reveal and the prolific Reds wonderkid scouts liken to Erling Haaland: LIVERPOOL CONFIDENTIAL

Giorgi Mamardashivili has been backed to fill the sizeable gloves of Alisson Becker to become Liverpool’s No 1 in the near future.

The Georgia goalkeeper was officially signed this summer from Valencia for £29m and is pencilled in to make his debut next week when the Reds take on Southampton in the Carabao Cup third round.

And his national team coach David Webb has told Liverpool Confidential that Mamardashvili has all the traits to make Alisson’s eventual exit a smooth process – and that he gives off similar vibes to Gianluigi Donnarumma.

‘It was September 2023 when he first stood out to me, straight away because he had that presence in goal,’ explains Englishman Webb, who held several roles across the game including at Tottenham, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen before heading out to the Caucasus.

‘He is a really good communicator, good talker and a very good shot-stopper. It made me go, “Wow”. He really stood out. I did one-to-one sessions with him and got to know him as a person, so I knew he was a solid, feet-on-the-ground character, spoke good English, very ambitious, settled in his private life, focused, educated in how he sees the game.

‘He can deal with pressure in the big moments. Yes, he was a character and good shot-stopper but he can play in these big games. In the Euros, he came into his own – I knew then he could play at the highest level.’

Liverpool agreed a deal to sign Mamardashvili from Valencia in late August 2024, but he stayed at the La Liga giants for last season before officially joining this summer. Alisson’s contract is set to expire at the end of next season and Liverpool acted quickly to secure Mamardashvili last year, with the transfer team believing it was a move that underlines their strategic commitment to future proofing.

Chelsea and Barcelona had registered an interest in Mamardashvili and Liverpool knew that if they waited to act, he would not be available. Alisson was supportive of the plan to sign his long-term successor and has been helping him in training.

Even before an outstanding Euro 2024 campaign in which Georgia qualified for the knockout stages against the odds, Mamardashvili scored extremely high on Liverpool’s data tests - ahead of alternative options including Lucas Chevalier, who joined European champions Paris Saint-Germain from Lille this summer.

‘We started to play a different system during the Nations League, it was an area he needed to work on, and he has done,’ adds Webb. ‘Not to say he cannot play out from the back, he can – but it needs work. We are now using him more.

‘When you look at someone like Donnarumma, he is massive, has the presence and is an outstanding shot-stopper. You can make comparisons. Giorgi is not at Alisson’s level yet but he is only getting better. He is commanding.

‘He is very clear in what he wants. He knew he wanted to play in the Premier League when he was at Valencia. He is very, very ambitious and very settled in his private life, which keeps him grounded. Football is his main focus, he is serious and professional.

‘He wants to go as high as he can go. He has been working on narrowing his focus so he stays switched on when the ball is down the other end.

‘At Liverpool it is all about taking his chances when they come. I think him being the successor is the plan. He knows he won’t be first-choice yet above Alisson but if opportunities present themselves, then he needs to be ready.’

Injury boost - at last!

This is the part of the column where I normally reveal the doom and gloom that Player X is injured, with items on Alexis Mac Allister and Jeremie Frimpong in the last few weeks – but this week it is all good news.

Curtis Jones was back on the grass stepping up his recovery from injury this week and he was spotted in good spirits at Anfield on Wednesday night, too. The Scouser is in line to return to the squad for Saturday’s Merseyside Derby.

Liverpool will reconvene for a recovery session at the AXA Training Centre today and then do a light training session on Friday.

What Konate's social media outbursts reveal 

Ibrahima Konate has been active on social media this week, calling Liverpool fans out for jumping the gun by slating his early-season performances.

One account said it would have no problem with Konate leaving at the end of the season, if he plays like he had in the first two games – and the Frenchman said: ‘The problem is some of you forget too quickly… only after two games.’

In another post, Konate thanked a journalist for saying that his contract situation should not cloud the fact he is a world-class defender.

So clearly the defender reads lots - perhaps including Liverpool Confidential’s lead item last week, when we revealed that Spanish sources had told us Real Madrid were confident of signing Konate on a free transfer at the end of this season, with his contract set to expire.

One thing that is worth noting, though: if Konate is so keen to chat to fans, maybe he could have shone some light on where his head is regarding his future. Many have mentioned his contract situation but not once has he said he wants to stay at Liverpool. Fans are right to worry that the writing is on the wall.

Get Carter!

Carter Pinnington was the standout player at Kirkby on Wednesday afternoon when I went to watch Liverpool’s Under 19s draw 0-0 with Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Youth League.

The match itself was lacking in quality but Atletico could easily have won if not for the courageous, colossal Pinnington, 18.

Confidential reported last month how one of the reasons for hiring Rob Page as Under 21s boss was to give the players a bit of first-team realism ahead of the step up, and the Welshman talked after the game about how the never-say-die attitude of Pinnington highlighted that desire.

The teenager showed all those old-school traits of putting his body on the line by making key clearances and blocks, while he also demonstrated the modern attributes of being calm in possession.

No academy centre back has broken into the first-team picture since Jarell Quansah – but Pinnington looks a classy player, having also played at full back and defensive midfield in the last year, with Page deploying him at No 6 in pre-season to evolve his on-ball game.

‘Some of the blocks at the end, another day we would have lost that game,’ said Page. ‘Everything we do in training is about winning, about results, that mentality, giving the players accountability and giving them the tools to be more rounded players.’

Let's hope Will's all Wright 

Liverpool beat Arsenal, Manchester United and others to the summer signing of striker Will Wright from nearby Salford City – and he had been going well with the Under 21s, only to suffer a nasty-looking injury in the youth game against Atletico.

Four paramedics and a stretcher were required for Wright, who went down after a meaty challenge in the opening stages. He looked agitated at a previous tackle from an Atletico defender and then lunged into a loose ball, injuring himself in the process.

Wright is set for scans today to determine the extent of his problem, with Liverpool Under 21s next in action on Sunday as they face Manchester United at the AXA Training Centre. What was funny, though, was the number of scouts who got up and left when Wright went off!

Bajcetic's road back

Speaking of the Under 21s, I asked Page this week whether Stefan Bajcetic, the talented midfielder, could be set for some action for the youth team before a return to Arne Slot’s plans, following hamstring surgery.

Confidential wrote last week how this was part of the plan for the young Spaniard and Page said: ‘It is a possibility. It is about getting him back on the grass from tomorrow, exposing him to minutes and getting him back to full fitness.’

New star on Reds' radar 

Confidential readers will remember us revealing last week that Liverpool were regulars at Santos FC games, keeping an eye on the son of former Manchester City and Real Madrid star Robinho, Robinho Junior, who played last weekend and did well.

The latest South American player that it is said the Reds are keeping an eye on is 15-year-old Ecuadorian centre back Deinner Ordonez of Independiente del Valle, according to my colleague Simon Jones.

Independiente have produced the likes of Chelsea pair Moises Caicedo and Kendry Paez, and new Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie.

Gala pitch is no Turkish delight 

There are big concerns about the safety of the pitch at Galatasaray's RAMS Park ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Istanbul later this month.

Turkish media report that seawater has been mixed into the grass irrigation system at the atmospheric stadium. It looks a mess and could cause Slot some headaches.

Liverpool's young Haaland

‘He is scary good, like a young Erling Haaland’ – that was a message from a source who is an expert on academy football this week.

The subject was Harrison O’Brien, who scored a staggering six goals for Liverpool’s Under 15s in a 7-1 win over Stoke last week.

Very early days, but one to keep an eye on for sure. Long-time Confidential readers will recall how we put Joshua Abe on your radar several months ago.

The 15-year-old made his Under 21s debut this week in a friendly against Bolton. He is a talent, for sure.