Joe Gomez reveals he nearly left Liverpool in the summer

"I believe things happen for a reason", Joe Gomez told 'the Athletic' as he revealed a shocking transfer backstory. Liverpool's longest-serving player could've been wearing the Newcastle United outfit after the two clubs had agreed on a £45million move for the defender, with Anthony Gordon set to head in the opposite end for £75million.

The deals depended on each other, reports James Pearce, but ended up collapsing when Newcastle backed off at the last minute. The Magpies were reportedly no longer interested in selling the 23-year-old after they had raised enough money to adhere to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR) from the selling of Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest and Yankuba Minteh to Brighton.

Asked how close he came to making the switch, Gomez said: “Yeah, it was definitely for real. But my focus was always on the club. I know how blessed I am to be here. It will be 10 years next summer. I don’t take that for granted. It is the best club in the world in my eyes and (after the transfer didn’t happen) it was quickly a case of adapting and getting right back into the swing of things".

But the defender was not given much opportunity to adapt as he was demoted to a fourth-choice centre-back by new manager Arne Slot. It was only when Ibrahima Konate was sidelined with an injury that Gomez had the chance to fully prove himself to his new boss. His first start in the Premier League was in the crunch against Manchester City in December, before that the majority of his minutes came from Liverpool's Carabao Cup games. 

The England international rose to the occasion, looking comfortable in keeping Guardiola's men at bay alongside captain Virgil van Dijk. Since that game at Anfield, Gomez has started in the Reds' recent outings against Newcastle and Girona in the Champions League last night - where he particularly looked bright. “It is a pleasure to be part of such a great group and we obviously have such a good foundation to hopefully achieve something this year. That is what you want to be part of. I love being here. I love the club," he told 'the Athletic'.

“As a player, you always want to play so you have to just try and be ready. In many ways, I am used to it having had many ups and downs, but you relish playing and having the opportunity to be in the team. It is tricky (not playing) because you don’t know when the chance will come or under what circumstances, what position, and so forth. But I’m a big believer in just controlling what I can and focusing on being the best professional I can be," he added.

 

December 11, 2024