Joe Gomez returning from his long term knee injury will feel like a new signing after he missed 39 games of football last season.
If he was fit, Gomez would unquestionably be England’s best centre back at the EUROs and much like Trent Alexander-Arnold, he will be gutted to miss out on the tournament.
His pace, passing and ability to read danger would be huge for the Three Lions this summer but so far they are coping just fine without him.
BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 13: Joe Gomez trains during and England Media Access Day at St Georges Park on November 13, 2019 in Burton-upon-Trent, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
It’s almost tiresome still writing about it but injuries ravaged the Reds’ chances of winning silverware this season with the likes of Gomez, Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip all unlucky to be sidelined for most of the campaign.
Gomez, who CIES Football Observatory estimates is worth around £45million, has a major job on his hands to come back into the side and challenge Ibrahima Konate for a starting spot.
The Frenchman cost Liverpool an initial outlay of £36million and will cost them a further £18.2million over five years as he is set to earn £70,000/week.
We were told in May that Konate will start the season in the first XI as Klopp wants to give Gomez the time he needs to recover from his patellar tendon injury.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Joe Gomez of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Leeds United at Anfield on September 12, 2020 in Liverpool, England. PHOTO BY ANDREW POWELL/LIVERPOOL FC VIA GETTY IMAGES.
Having Gomez back fit will genuinely feel like a new signing as he will give Jurgen Klopp more depth at centre-back while he is also set to serve as cover for Trent Alexander-Arnold at right back.
It’s not the most ideal scenario to have a centre-half at fullback but the hope is that he won’t be needed there too much.
