In June, Liverpool talked about sending Joe Gomez to Newcastle. His future remains uncertain.

Negotiations for Liverpool defender Joe Gomez’s potential transfer to Newcastle United were so advanced in late June that payment terms were discussed. Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, had agreed to sell Gomez for £45 million ($57.6 million), with the condition that winger Anthony Gordon would move in the opposite direction for £75 million. These were two separate transactions, but each depended on the completion of the other.

Newcastle CEO Darren Eales wanted a significant portion of Gordon’s fee paid upfront to meet the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) reporting deadline. Tentative discussions were also held with the England camp about arranging medicals for both Gomez and Gordon during the European Championship in Germany.

Newcastle had initially targeted Jarell Quansah, but Liverpool made it clear that the 21-year-old academy graduate was not available for transfer at any price. When Newcastle shifted focus to Gomez, Liverpool was open to negotiations, and Gomez showed willingness to join Eddie Howe’s squad, which promised him regular playing time as a right-sided centre-back.

Ultimately, the deals fell through. Newcastle decided to retain Gordon after sales of Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest for £35 million and Yankuba Minteh to Brighton & Hove Albion for £30 million provided the £60 million needed to meet the PSR deadline without needing to sell Gordon.

A month later, with Gordon and Gomez set to return to club duties after an extended break following their England commitments at the Euros, the situation remains fluid. Liverpool continues to admire Gordon, who was intrigued by the possibility of joining the club he supported as a child. Newcastle plans to offer him an improved contract, removing their previous financial constraints.

Gomez, who has been with Liverpool since 2015, is considering his future after coming close to leaving. Liverpool isn’t actively seeking to offload him; rather, the timing of the transfer window influenced the situation. Under contract until 2027, Gomez is valued as one of the club’s senior centre-backs. His versatility was highlighted last season when he effectively covered both full-back positions during injuries to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson.

Gomez, who made 51 appearances and 31 starts in 2023-24, faced frustration as he started only two Premier League games in his preferred centre-back role. Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate were preferred alongside captain Virgil van Dijk, and although Matip has since left, Quansah is likely to maintain his place. Konate is expected to regain form under new manager Arne Slot after a challenging end to Jurgen Klopp’s tenure.

Nathaniel Phillips is anticipated to leave following Liverpool’s US tour, but Sepp van den Berg, who impressed during his loan at Mainz, is making a case for himself. Despite rejecting offers from Mainz, Wolfsburg, and PSV Eindhoven, Liverpool’s valuation of Van den Berg at £20 million seems justified given his standout performance against Arsenal in Philadelphia.