Liverpool have three new goalkeeper additions this summer following the signing of Freddie Woodman on a free transfer, seeing plans for the youngest of the trio to take a turn.
Liverpool secured the services of Giorgi Mamardashvili last year and signed 20-year-old Armin Pecsi in a £1.5 million deal earlier this summer, and have now added Woodman to the fold.
The latter will assume the duties of third-choice behind Alisson and Mamardashvili after the permanent exit of Caoimhin Kelleher and loan switches for Vitezslav Jaros and Harvey Davies.
As a homegrown option, Liverpool’s move for 28-year-old Woodman was savvy as he provides experience and depth without taking a non-homegrown spot in the squad.
It does, however, alter the expectation that Pecsi would take on the role as the third-choice ‘keeper after his agent insisted he would not be sent on loan next season.
The young Hungarian is now restricted in what he can offer as he will not be registered for the club’s Champions League squad as he would need a place in List A as he is not eligible for List B.
Liverpool will not use up a valuable spot on the youngster, who is also ineligible for the UEFA Youth League as he was born (2005) before the 2007 and 2006 cut-off dates.
He can be listed as an under-21 player in the Premier League squad but the pecking order has been established and only an injury crisis would see him elevated up the order.
It would leave the 20-year-old, who has been first-choice for Puskas Akademia since midway through 2023/24, limited to training with the first-team and playing for Rob Page’s U21s side.
It will still be a valuable season of development for the young goalkeeper to train alongside Alisson and Co. but a loan could still be considered despite his agent’s earlier dismissal.
In addition to the permanent and temporary exits of the aforementioned ‘keepers, Liverpool also lost academy goalkeepers Jakub Ojrzynski, Reece Trueman and Jacob Poytress this summer.
There has, therefore, been a significant reshuffle of the goalkeeping department and it will be one to keep an eye on when the squad reconvenes for pre-season early next month.
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