Newcastle are now considering whether to make a £30m bid after holding transfer talks during a meeting.
After a quiet January window, there is money for Eddie Howe to spend in the market as the 46-year-old aims to take the Magpies back into the UEFA Champions League next season.
In this fiercely competitive modern era, that will require some wise recruitment, and Newcastle are now contemplating a bid to sign “one of the best” in Europe…
Newcastle consider meeting Giorgi Mamardashvili asking price
A story by Spanish journalist Nacho Sanchis now claims that Newcastle are thinking about sending a €35m (£30m) offer to Valencia in a bid to sign Giorgi Mamardashvili.
It is said that the Magpies have already seen a €25m (£21m) bid rejected for the Georgia international as Howe aims to replace Martin Dubravka and Loris Karius.
The Spanish outfit have already signed Stole Dimitrievski from Rayo Vallecano as a replacement for Mamardashvili, who is expected to leave the Mestalla this summer.
After a meeting with those in the boardroom at Valencia, Newcastle are now strongly considering whether to meet the asking price of £30m, as there is currently no competition for the Tbilisi-born glovesman’s signature.
Mamardashvili impressed throughout the 2023/24 campaign, keeping 13 clean sheets across 36 appearances in La Liga – while conceding just 39 goals.
Miguel Angel Moya – who played for Valencia from 2009 to 2012 – even called the Georgian “one of the best” goalkeepers in Spain, while also comparing him to Real Madrid No.1 Thibaut Courtois.
The Spaniard told Cadena Cope: “It is true that, if he continues like this, it will be difficult to retain him, but the club has done very well to keep him. It seems to me that, right now, he is one of the best goalkeepers in La Liga, without a doubt.
“He reminds me a lot of Courtois, with a big wingspan, very tall but agile. He has determination, takes risks, dominates.”
Eddie Howe has alternative
If a deal for Mamardashvili fails to progress, Howe is also looking at Arsenal No.1 Aaron Ramsdale.
READ MORE: Newcastle also plotting move to sign £22m forward who agreed to join the Magpies in 2020
TBR Football understands the Gunners are happy to sell the England international – after Mikel Arteta made David Raya his first choice goalkeeper at the Emirates Stadium.
Currently, all the talk is regarding Mamardashvili, but if that pursuit fails to progress, we can see Newcastle moving onto Ramsdale quite swiftly – especially as Howe knows him well from their time together at Bournemouth.