Liverpool duo return to training after deadline day deals fall through

Despite plenty of rumours and speculation, there was not the mass exodus out of Liverpool on deadline day that many forecast. Harvey Elliott has joined Valencia on a season-long loan, seemingly set to never be seen in a red shirt again, while Stefan Bajčetić has returned to his former club Celta de Vigo for around £1 million.

However, the two more high-profile members of Andoni Iraola's squad, who were strongly linked with a departure, have stayed put. Both Cody Gakpo and Giorgi Mamardashvili were pictured in training at AXA Training Centre on Tuesday, preparing for the Reds' Premier League clash with Ipswich Town on Friday night.

Gakpo attracted very strong interest from both Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. Following Saturday's 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest, in which Gakpo started and provided an assist for Alexander Isak, it was widely reported that he was set to join the Citizens for £85 million. At this point, it felt a near certainty that he had played his last game in red.

However, after Liverpool failed to land a replacement, Ismaïla Sarr, Yankuba Minteh and Matias Fernandez-Pardo reportedly their top targets, Gakpo was not allowed to leave. What is unknown is how the Dutchman feels about this?

Did Gakpo have his heart set on a move and is now frustrated that this did not come to pass? How does he feel about the arrival of Bradley Barcola, arriving from Paris Saint-Germain for £123 million? Presumably, the Frenchman has been signed to start on the left flank, but how does Gakpo view the the fact he has seen his favoured spot taken away?

Despite all of that, Gakpo will remain a key figure in Iraola's team. The Dutchman has been, pretty inarguably, Liverpool's most dangerous attacker so far this season, scoring at St James' Park before assisting Isak's equaliser at the weekend, as mentioned. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how the 27 year old will be utilised by Iraola now, following Barcola's arrival, alongside Florian Wirtz and Isak.

The other player who could have been on the way out on deadline day, but wasn't, is Giorgi Mamardashvili. The Georgian international was attracting strong interest from Nottingham Forest, but no transfer materialised. The Reds though have signed a ready-made replacement, recruiting 18 year old Genk goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans for £30 million.

The teenager will spend the season on loan back at de Smurfen, before officially arriving on Merseyside next summer. This is identical to what the club did when Mamardashvili signed from Valencia, so is clearly a strategy Liverpool like. Nevertheless, it is not ideal for the 25 year old's broader prospects at Anfield that a long-term successor has been signed for the same fee paid to secure his own signature.

When he arrived a year ago, Mamardashvili was one of the highest-rated young goalkeepers on the planet. He has 29 senior international caps for Georgia, playing every minute of their four matches at Euro 2024, as well as accumulating more than 200 senior club games, 134 of which were for Valencia, prior to landing in Liverpool.

However, he did not impress during his first campaign as a Red. He kept only three clean sheets and shipped 34 goals across just 20 appearances. While being far from his fault, the fact that they lost 12 of these games, winning only seven, did not endear Mamardashvili to supporters very much.

While Alisson remains fit, we won't see the back-up shot-stopper. Mamardashvili's next appearances will be in a fortnight when the Reds welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Anfield in the EFL Cup. Given what Spurs have produced in their two Premier League games so far this season, it is unlikely to be a busy night for him.

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