Liverpool defender Joe Gomez in action. (Getty Images)
According to a report from the Sun, Arsenal and Tottenham are set to battle for Liverpool defender Joe Gomez, who is frustrated by a lack of playing time.
Joe Gomez, 22, joined Liverpool as a teenager from Charlton Athletic back in 2015, but injuries and the form of other players have restricted him to just 46 Premier League games across four years.
Due to a lack of game time, the versatile defender is open to leaving Anfield and would prefer a move back to his hometown of London.
It doesn’t come as a surprise the North London rivals are vying for the 22-year-old’s signature, perhaps on loan in January. Gomez was the first-choice centre-back to partner Virgil van Dijk at the beginning of last season. But he suffered a leg fracture in December, ruling him out until mid-April.
During his absence, Joel Matip excelled and has retained his place in the side this season. And if things don’t change, the England international would be right to leave Liverpool as he needs to play regularly to fulfil his true potential.
Both Arsenal and Tottenham are in desperate need of defensive reinforcements. Arsenal did sign David Luiz from Chelsea in the summer while William Saliba was also acquired and then loaned straight back to Saint-Etienne.
Luiz has been error-prone at the back, while the likes of Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Shkodran Mustafi have also struggled.
Meanwhile, Tottenham have looked atypically sloppy at the back, with Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen not enjoying great times so far this season.
Moreover, both of them are out of contract at the end of the season. Davinson Sanchez is yet to impress this term, while Juan Foyth has recently returned from injury.
While both Arsenal and Tottenham have shown their interest in Gomez, it’s the former club that should win the race for the ex-Charlton star’s signature.
Gomez may have lost his way a bit but he remains a quality player that surely needs regular game time to get back his mojo. Arsenal certainly would offer him that as Unai Emery needs a solid defender to shore up his backline after the struggles of Luiz and Sokratis.
Furthermore, Hector Bellerin, who has recently returned from a knee ligament injury, needs a player to cover and compete for him as Ainsley Maitland-Niles isn’t reliable at right-back. Gomez would simply be perfect to compete with Bellerin at right-back, whilst strengthening the Gunners’ central defensive options.
The Catford-born defender will also bring freshness to Emery’s side that looked lethargic in the last few games.
Liverpool won’t sanction a sale as Gomez has a contract at the club until 2024. A loan move makes sense and Arsenal must be all over for the defender’s short-term acquisition in January.
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