Liverpool to shell out £30m for new signing who won’t join until next season

Liverpool are poised to complete their first signing of the summer transfer window in £30m Georgia goalkeeper Georgi Mamardashvili.

Mamardashvili, who starred for his country at Euro 2024 earlier this summer, was on Merseyside on Monday to finalise his move from Valencia. 

The 23-year-old is set to stay at the Spanish club on loan for this season, however, with a view to challenging current Liverpool No1 Alisson Becker from 2025. 

It represents the first business done by the club since the return of recruitment guru Michael Edwards as chief executive of football in June. 

That deal is set to be one of a number of late transfers as clubs rush to do business before the Premier League window closes on Friday.

Brighton have sealed the signing of midfielder Matt O’Riley from Celtic for an initial £25m, a fee that could rise to a new record for a Scottish club depending on performance.

London-born O’Riley came through the ranks at Fulham but made his name at MK Dons before moving north of the border in January 2022. 

He scored 19 goals and made 18 assists last season, earning Celtic’s player of the season award and his first caps for Denmark, for whom he qualifies through his mother. 

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler said: “He plays a very specialist position. He is very good at occupying and attacking the right space and likes making deep runs, knowing when to attack at the right time.

“He enjoys getting forward and attacking the opponent’s penalty area, but he also has a good defensive instinct. That balance makes him special.

“He is a great character, and has a good ambition to succeed and that’s something which is very important for us.”

England wingers Raheem Sterling and Jadon Sancho could both be on the move – potentially even in a swap deal – from Chelsea and Manchester United respectively. 

Sterling has been left out of the plans of new manager Enzo Maresca and Chelsea have a need to thin out a first-team squad with more than 40 players. 

Sancho returned to United this summer after a successful loan spell at Borussia Dortmund and appeared to have buried the hatchet with manager Erik ten Hag. 

But he is yet to feature in United’s two Premier League games so far this term and has attracted interest from Juventus in Italy.