Aston Villa are reportedly ready to go back for Joe Gomez in the summer as Steven Gerrard eyes an important defensive signing for next season.
According to Football Insider, Aston Villa will prioritise a move for Joe Gomez in the summer as Steven Gerrard eyes a key defensive signing for next season. The Liverpool centre-back may force through a move considering his status as the fourth choice in the pecking order is not expected to change anytime soon.
Ibrahima Konate may not have been a Liverpool player had Joe Gomez not suffered a long-term injury last season. The English international joined key stars Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip among the list of long-term absentees for most of the 2020/21 campaign, which derailed Liverpool’s title defence.
Jurgen Klopp decided to splash big on Konate last summer to avoid a similar scenario in the new season. The arrival of the young centre-back has pushed Gomez further down the pecking order, as he is now Liverpool’s fourth choice in the position.
That situation may not change in the immediate future, as Klopp has made it abundantly clear who he prefers to play at the back. While Gomez is back fit after last season’s injury, he will be raring to get regular game time on the pitch. As things stand, a move away from Liverpool could be the best possible option for Gomez to resurrect his fledgling career.
Aston Villa had approaches turned down in the January transfer window as Steven Gerrard searched through known old faces to shore up his squad. In his attempts, the Liverpool legend was successful enough to lure former colleague Philippe Coutinho on loan from Barcelona, although he still needed a central defender.
As Klopp made it abundantly clear Gomez was not supposed to move away, Gerrard had to look at alternate options to strengthen the squad. Aston Villa then agreed on a modest deal with Arsenal to sign Calum Chambers, who was out of favour under Mikel Arteta.
While Chambers could be considered a quality squad option at best, Aston Villa would still want an automatic first choice star at the back. In Gerrard’s mind, Liverpool defender Gomez is the desited option, with the Villa manager ready to go back with another offer for the Englishman.
Gomez has a contract until 2024, and with his value dipping in the last 18 months, Liverpool could be forced to accept a bid at a lesser value than their expectation. The report suggests the Merseyside giants may be inclined to agree on £30 million fee for the 24-year-old centre-back.
Aston Villa may have no qualms about paying such a figure considering Gomez could become a rock-solid option at the back for years to come. Moreover, the Liverpool defender could be the perfect signing to improve their backline for the next phase of Gerrard’s plans at the club.
