Liverpool are reportedly considering selling Joe Gomez and plan to replace him with a “versatile defender”, according to a weekend report from FI, but is this a mistake and a waste of transfer funds.
The Englishman is now the longest-serving player at Anfield after he joined the club from Charlton Athletic in 2014. He has fallen way down the centre-back pecking order in recent years. This has been largely due to incredibly poor luck with injuries but the rise of Ibrahima Konate and the emergence of Jarell Quansah are also factors.
A report last week from HITC claimed that Liverpool are in talks with interested clubs to sell Gomez but this is a mistake.
Liverpool need to sign a centre-back even if they keep Gomez
Joel Matip was released at the end of last season after his contract expired and has yet to be replaced. If Gomez joins him out the exit, it would raise some very valid questions about the approach FSG and Slot are taking concerning this year’s recruitment.
It feels very much like two steps back, one step forward.
Selling Matip and Gomez, two very good if admittedly injury-prone defenders, and signing one versatile replacement doesn’t scream efficiency.
It would have been a risky move even if Klopp was still at the helm but with a new manager in the door, the lack of recruitment is extremely concerning with the logic behind it not clear at this time.
The only redeeming factor at play is that Liverpool have no shortage of top quality players but the overruling concern is that Liverpool will not be able to keep the bulk of their starters fit long enough to put them in a position to win silverware come the end of the season.
Hopefully, this is just the typical start-of-season-paranoia but it doesn’t seem like it. In any case, only time will tell but for now, it’s difficult to see the grand plan if there is one at all.
