Joe Gomez has been linked with a move away from Liverpool this summer, with Al-Ittihad keen on securing his services.
A report from Daily Mail claims that Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ittihad are interested in signing Joe Gomez. But Liverpool will not sanction the departure of the English defender anytime soon, and especially not in the ongoing transfer window.
The Reds are already lacking in depth in the defensive department, and it would have been quite surprising if they decided to sell Gomez. The 26-year-old is versatile enough to operate as a central defender as well as a full-back. He is an important squad player for Jurgen Klopp, and his departure would have weakened Liverpool severely.
Gomez has been a useful player for Liverpool over the years despite his persistent injury problems. The former Charlton Athletic defender had all the attributes to develop into a world-class player for the Premier League giants. However, persistent injury problems have halted his development and robbed him of his recovery pace.
Despite that, the 26-year-old remains a reliable defender, and he showed his quality against Newcastle United at the weekend. Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are the only reliable defenders at the club right now. So Liverpool cannot afford to lose a player from the defensive unit without bringing in the right replacements.
Al Ittihad have a shortlist of defenders — Liverpool’s Joe Gomez is very high on that list 🚨🔴🇸🇦 #LFC
Al Ittihad like Gomez as versatile player who can play anywhere across the back line.
Liverpool insist they’ve no intention to sell important players in the final days. pic.twitter.com/RdyQQjRj7D
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 28, 2023
It is highly unlikely that Liverpool will be able to sign a quality central defender at this stage of the window, especially now that they are focused on improving their midfield. Liverpool have previously agreed to sell Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabian clubs this summer. Mohamed Salah has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia as well.
The Saudi Arabian clubs have been extremely active in the transfer market this summer, and their ability to offer lucrative contracts has helped convince players to leave the top European leagues during their peak years.
It will be interesting to see if Al-Itthad decide to come forward with a concrete proposal to sign the 26-year-old Liverpool defender in the next few days. If there is a lucrative offer on the table, Gomez might just have his head turned. Given his consistent injury problems and stature at Liverpool, the player might find it difficult to turn down an attractive proposal from Saudi Arabia.
