Why Liverpool Should Let Go Of Joe Gomez As A Part Of Their Squad Revamp
Liverpool are expected to be one of the busiest clubs this summer as they have qualified for the Champions League for the first time in more than 3 years. They have the chance to lure some of the finest players in Europe in the next few months. The Reds have been linked with a host of talented players recently and this might mean the end of some of the youngsters at the club this summer.
One such player who might be losing his place in the side is defender Joe Gomez. One of the most exciting young defenders in the domestic circuit in England, Gomez was brought to the club by Brendan Rodgers, who used him as a left-back.
A series of injuries have kept him out of the first team under Jurgen Klopp and he only got a chance to impress the manager in a couple of Cup games, where he was more than just decent. Klopp praised him last season but does he have a future at Anfield? Should Liverpool consider selling him this summer?
A product of the Charlton Academy, Joseph Gomez is a centre-back by trait, with insane ability on the ball. He is a pinpoint passer and an excellent holder of the ball and has some tricks to go with it as well. He is strong and dominant in the air but needs to work on his ability to read the game and stay a step ahead.
He is still some distance away from making it into the first team under Jurgen Klopp, with the likes of Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren and Ragnar Klavan waiting in the first-team reckoning. The Reds need a genuine star like Van Dijk to improve their defence and Gomez will not get enough chances at the club, not even to act as an understudy. So he might have no real immediate future at the club.
Klopp is determined to keep his academy players close to his first team, to keep a close eye on them and at 20, Gomez will surely be in his plans for the future. But the German will now be more worried about the immediate future and Gomez cannot solve his problems.
A loan deal is an option but it does not seem like Gomez will turn into a world class star in just a year or two. So it might be best for both parties to part ways this summer. The likes of Bournemouth and Celtic are already scouting him and either club will be a good option for the 20-year old.
However, Liverpool must ensure they add a buy-back clause in his contract, which would allow them to steal him away if he turns into a star, like they did for Jordan Ibe last summer, when he joined Bournemouth.