Klopp will give £16m star ‘opportunities’ at Anfield

Liverpool should not be considering the future of centre-back Joe Gomez despite his poor run of form, with Aston Villa previously targeting the 25-year-old, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were humbled 4-1 by Napoli in their first game of another Champions League campaign on Wednesday as their slow start to the 2022-23 season continued.

What is the latest on Gomez?

According to Football Insider, Villa manager Steven Gerrard made the Liverpool ace his number one target for the summer transfer window.

The report states that the Midlands side also made a move for Gomez in January but failed as Klopp was unwilling to do business mid-season.

But after making just three Premier League starts in the 2021-22 campaign, it was perhaps not an unrealistic plan from Gerrard.

However, Gomez put any rumours of a departure to bed in July when he signed a new five-year contract at Anfield.

The 11-cap England international later commented on the links with Villa, saying he understood why the rumours emerged, adding that any interest is always ‘flattering’.

But Wednesday night saw the £16m-rated man struggle with the pace of Champions League football, as the Reds were put to the sword in Naples.

What has Jones said on the situation?

Jones says that, even though Gomez is out of form, Liverpool’s stance on the player should not have changed.

The journalist adds that Klopp simply cannot afford to be considering selling the defender, particularly at a time when he is already hindered by a number of player issues.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “I think Gomez will be given opportunities to overcome this moment. You can’t start in a Champions League match and then suddenly disappear. Obviously, there’s been transfer talk around him but the last thing that Liverpool can be doing at the moment is letting more people leave. They need to get a settled squad at the moment and get everybody on an even keel.”

How has Gomez performed this season?

Gomez has started the Reds’ last four Premier League games, which has seen the club lose to Manchester United, beat Newcastle and Bournemouth, and draw with Everton in an erratic start to the campaign.

Since signing from Charlton in 2015, the defender has helped Klopp’s side to Premier League and Champions League glory but has suffered a number of serious injury issues along the way, missing a total of 136 Liverpool games.

It is perhaps not a huge surprise that his form on the pitch has now suffered as a result.

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