Liverpool defender According to transfer source Dean Jones, Joe Gomez is a “really important player” at Anfield, who provides an update on the defender’s role in the club ahead of the winter transfer window.
Jurgen Klopp has utilized Liverpool’s star sparingly in recent seasons, fueling doubts over his future.
Gomez had built a strong connection with Virgil van Dijk, but a string of injuries allowed Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip to establish themselves in the side. With the winter transfer window approaching, the Liverpool reserve could become available on the market.
Gomez is battling for regular football playing time
Gomez was a fixture in Klopp’s starting lineup during Liverpool’s 2019/20 Premier League title-winning season, creating a powerful partnership with van Dijk. The pair were part of a defense that allowed only 33 goals in the Premier League that season, the best record in the division.
However, Gomez had a patellar tendon injury in England training in November 2020, necessitating surgery. The 11-cap Three Lions player returned for the start of the 2021/22 season but struggled to reclaim his place ahead of van Dijk and Matip.
Last season, a strong start to the season appeared to have guaranteed his spot in the Liverpool backline, as the Reds struggled to equal the standards they achieved the previous year. However, a muscular injury in February forced Gomez to miss another game, and he was unable to reclaim his role at the heart of the defense.
Gomez was given the opportunity to cover for Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back this season, but he has found himself on the outskirts of the Premier League team since the vice-captain’s return. The London-born star has been given permission to play the entire 90 minutes in the Europa League, but he will be hungry to become Klopp’s first-choice partner to van Dijk as soon as possible.
Jones recently referred to Gomez as a “unlikely hero” in an interview with GIVEMESPORT, claiming that his ability to fill places and cover for Klopp’s big stars when they are unavailable has proven vital to the Reds. Because the team lost James Milner to Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer, the 26-year-old has had to adjust to other positions when injuries occur. As a result, Gomez might be useful to Klopp for the rest of the season, implying that a departure is improbable.
