Earlier this week, the Newcastle United and Chelsea target opened up on why his potential £30 million move to one of the biggest clubs in European football fell through almost at the last moment.
He’d travelled all the way to Germany for talks alongside his father. But, just as he was preparing to sign on the dotted line and move his belongings to Munich, one of the continent’s rising stars discovered that Bayern Munich, in the end, did not have the funds required to sign him in the first place.
Talk about being strung along.
“My father and my agent were in Munich, settling the final details of the negotiations,” Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili tells Geo Team. “I was already looking for a house in Munich where I should live.
“But, in the end, it turned out that they couldn’t pay the amount that was needed. It was 35 million (euros), I think.”
Newcastle and Chelsea target keen on Valencia stay
Flash forward to the present day, HITC understands that both Newcastle United and Chelsea are now keen on bringing Mamardashvili to the Premier League. But could the Georgia international stay put at Valencia beyond another transfer window, albeit for very different reasons this time?
“My dream is to stay at Valencia,” Mamardashvili said in mid-May, speaking to Movistar.
The 23-year-old goalkeeper did go on to add, however, that his future ‘does not depend on me’. Valencia, under the ownership of the despised Peter Lim, are very much a ‘selling club’. And HITC have been told that, despite the existence of an £86 million release clause in his contract, Los Che are willing to listen to offers much lower than that.
A boost, then, for a Newcastle side looking for a younger and more technical option between the sticks to replace the ageing Nick Pope. Chelsea are also keen on a new shot-stopper, having expressed an interest in the Brazilian shot-stopper Bento.
After a youthful Valencia side brought the curtain down on another La Liga season following Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo, Mamardashvili then appeared to reiterate his earlier stance. If one of the game’s best young glovesmen has his way, his 100th Valencia appearance will not be his last.
Giorgi Mamardashvili a man in demand
“Hit 100 games in this shirt (vs Celta) and I couldn’t be more proud,” Mamardashvili writes on Instagram. “Defending this badge for these 3 years has been an honour and a privilege. Every minute on the field, every workout, and every challenge has been worth it.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported me and helped me get here; team-mates, coaches, and of course the fans. This is just the beginning.
“Let’s go for more (apperances)!”
HITC understands that Newcastle, who confirmed that Loris Karius would be leaving on a free transfer alongside Matt Ritchie, Paul Dummett and Jeff Hendrick, are also pursuing Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale.
Ramsdale has lost his place between the sticks under Mikel Arteta following the arrival of David Raya from Brentford.
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