Joe Gomez's time at Liverpool could be nearing its endplaceholder image
Joe Gomez's time at Liverpool could be nearing its end | Getty Images
This Liverpool star could be playing his final game for the club after an update from the Brighton match
Liverpool’s latest Premier League win over Brighton and Hove Albion raised a lot of talking points, from Hugo Ekitike’s impact in front of goal, to Mohamed Salah’s uncertain future at the club.
All eyes were focused on the Egyptian, who was reintroduced after being dropped from the squad that faced Inter Milan midweek, in the wake of his recent bombshell comments. He enjoyed a lengthy run out after coming off the bench in the first half and contributed an assist to see him off as he leaves for the Africa Cup of Nations.
However, despite the ongoing links with Saudi Arabia, the legendary winger is still not the most obvious case for an exit Liverpool have on their hands right now.
Joe Gomez hit with another Liverpool injury setback
Salah was able to get a decent amount of minutes in the tank ahead of AFCON when he came off the bench in the 26th minute. He was brought on to replace Joe Gomez, who was unable to continue after going down with an injury.
While this swap was a boost for Salah, it could spell bad news for Gomez. Speaking to the media after the Brighton match, Slot suggested the centre-back has picked up a muscle injury but for now, it is unclear how long he will be out of action.
“If I have a player who goes off with a muscle injury like Joe, that's normally not a positive thing,” the manager said. “I would not expect him to be in the squad next week [at Tottenham Hotspur]. But sometimes you get a positive surprise.
“People now maybe understand a bit better why I was always so cautious not to play him so many games. I assume many people thought, 'If you have a defender, if you have a right full-back, why don't you play him?'”
It seems Gomez has already been ruled out of the clash with Spurs on December 20th but fans won’t know the full scale of his injury until another club update drops. But it already doesn’t sound too good.
Joe Gomez injury latest could spell the end at Liverpool
Slot’s comments about being cautious of playing Gomez for too many games are quite concerning, and rather eye-opening.
The centre-back has suffered massively with injury blows over the years. He has missed a total of 236 Liverpool games in total due to fitness issues, according to Transfermarkt. In fact, since his arrival at the club in June 2015, the defender has picked up at least one injury problem in every season to date.
Gomez’s maiden season was cut short after he sustained an ACL injury while playing for England U21s. It took him a full year to return to first team training with Liverpool. The club didn’t know it at the time, but this was a warning sign of things to come throughout Gomez’s tenure at Anfield.
The 29-year-old has more than earned his stripes over the years at Liverpool, especially when his versatility has been called upon to play at right-back and left-back when necessary.
However, his latest injury setback and the concerns that come with it have only added extra pressure to Liverpool’s defensive issues at the moment, and show that sadly, Gomez is not a figure who can be heavily relied on long-term.
With Gomez out, Slot has just two fit senior centre-backs at his disposal - Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.
The Reds have two more games to play before the January transfer window opens. Once it does, the priority for the Premier League champions will be to sign a new central defender, even just on loan.
Gomez is out of contract in 2027, meaning next year will be the last chance Liverpool get to sell him for a decent amount of money. He came close to leaving the club over the summer when he was in talks with AC Milan.
The deal collapsed in the late hours of Deadline Day, as there was too much left to finalise in such a short amount of time.
Had the clubs reached that stage earlier in the window, Gomez might’ve left the club. The centre-back will be looking for a more regular playing role and there is no doubt he will be exploring his options again in 2026.
With a decade of commitment to Liverpool under his belt, Gomez will be earmarked as a club icon. Sadly, his unfortunate injury history continues to rear its ugly head, making him an unreliable option for the club long-term, and this season looks likely to be his last in red.
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