Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has revealed how close he came to leaving Anfield during the summer transfer window, with a move to Newcastle United nearly materialising.
The proposed deal would have seen Anthony Gordon head to Liverpool in exchange, but the transfer ultimately fell through.
Gomez, who holds the distinction of being Liverpool’s longest-serving current player, began the season behind Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, and Jarell Quansah in the defensive hierarchy.
However, injuries to key players have created opportunities for the versatile defender to feature regularly under manager Arne Slot.
So far this season, Gomez has made 11 appearances across all competitions, including starts in Liverpool’s last three fixtures against Girona, Newcastle, and Manchester City.
These starts were necessitated by Konate’s absence, and Gomez has been partnering Van Dijk in the heart of Liverpool’s defence.
The 27-year-old admitted that the prospect of leaving Liverpool was serious during the summer, but he expressed his happiness at staying on Merseyside and continuing his career with the Reds.
Joe Gomez told reporters: “Yeah, [leaving] 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. It was quickly put to bed.
“That’s football. I am a big believer in focusing on the present.
“To be somewhere nearly 10 years and not have any blips would not be natural, which probably speaks about my ambition.”
Offering some insight into playing for Slot at Liverpool, He added: “It’s a process from a tactical standpoint. It is definitely not as straightforward as just seeing a pass and playing it.
“A lot of it is about how we can get three-v-twos around the the pitch and try not to overload on one side.
“Just because the pass is on, it doesn’t mean you should play it, just wait on the ball a bit more.
“It has been great to learn. You just want to get better and improve as a player and the coach is helping me and the rest of the boys to do that. Arne is constantly reminding us that we cannot get complacent.
“The coaching staff and the gaffer’s attention to detail is second to none.
“I think even when we come in at half-time sometimes when things are not going our way, the ability to adapt in certain situations and guide us in the right way is so good.”
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