Good for you.
Real Madrid have a long standing track record for inducing big players to run down their contracts so they can take them on a free, and then letting them nowhere near their first team. Youād think players would have cottoned on by now.
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Both can be true, no?
He can still love the club and after 5 years decide that he wants to try something new.
Obviously there is no agreement over a new contract. We might not be willing to meet his wishes, he might not be willing to lower them and perhaps itās not even about money here but trying something new. Can be different motivations, football, life, etc.
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I have a feeling Konate stays and we go into the year with Virg, Konate, that Jacket guy, and Leoni. We may sign one more that can play both LB and CB for cover. Gomez finally gets his move.
I think Gomez has another year left? I wouldnāt be in a hurry to move on a home grown quality player who can cover anywhere along the back line. I think heāll stay now until his contract is up.
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There you go.
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Gomez is oddly far more valuable in a squad where we have enough players to cover for his potential for injury as you feel a little more willing to take the bubble wrap off and actually use him safe in the knowledge that if he breaks down you still have options. SO yeah now weāve got the 4th CB (assuming Virgil and Ibou stay) it makes even more sense to keep him for his final year
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I would love to keep him because he can cover several positions. I didnāt know he would have just a year left on his deal. Even so, I think he wants to play more consistently and the club can at least get a fee for him instead of losing him on a free. Seems to benefit all parties. I guess it depends whether we sign that CB/LB hybrid folks have been mentioning, which I think makes sense. Of course, Joe is kind of that guy. The only problem is he wonāt be here for the long term.
I think particularly when you think how young much of that squad is now and likely to get in summer.
Admin please help this POTY is evil and picking on us short people.
I think with those four centre backs, plus the two right backs, and two left backs (assuming Kostas comes back), then you add Gomez as third choice RB, third choice LB, and fifth choice CB, suddenly that looks really strong in terms of depth.
(I also have a funny feeling that the long term plan might be to move to a back three.)
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I would obviously strip him of his title, but Iām afraid I donāt know how to.
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There is a huge difference between what Joe wants and what his body is willing to do.
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I really donāt see any football club that would be willing to put donāt āmakes it worth itā money for Gomez.
I think in a squad role where heās covering two injury prone right backs, one of the left backs is a bit shit, and of the four centre backs one is is 35, one is coming of an ACL and one had an injury record of his own, Joe should really get 20 games. And if I was in his boots, Iād be alright with that.
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Can easily see him go this summer, can also see him stay (it might depend on how the rehabs of Leoni and Bradley are doing).
He was close a few times in the last few years, that didnāt just fall from the sky.
At a certain point under Klopp, I think he wanted more football and was close to leaving (I think Villa were sniffing).
Then he gave an interview after one summer where he said he was almost 50-50 whether to pursue a new challenge and more football or stay here and said how he still appreciates being here. Doesnāt take it for granted. Then we had the summer of 2024 with the Gordon deal, which he was part of and the summer of 2025 with the Milan loan if we got Guehi over the line on the final day.
So yeah, there are reasons why he was close a few times, so it wouldnāt surprise me if itās 2026 or 2027.
And I donāt see him staying if we have 8 other senior and fit defenders by the end of pre-season and end of the transfer window.
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I donāt think the club will push him out as he is valuable. But if he wants to leave I think we will gladly sell him assuming we are good on numbers in the back. I wouldnāt be ok with 20 games if I were him. Heās too good for that even if he canāt stay fit all season.
Itās not like he canāt, because in Kloppās final season, he played 51 games and mostly at both full back positions.
But the thing is that you seriously cannot rely on it, especially being our 3rd CB (Iām not gonna go into predictions how Leoni wouldāve done this season if he remained fit), which he shouldnāt be.
His average per season at Liverpool is about 25.
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I see both sides of it with Gomez. Smashing player, but as we all know his body has let him down. He could stay and be a very useful back up to the end of his contract, or we might allow him to go to pastures new if more incoming sees us well stocked at the back.
One more kingpin, like a Schlotterbeck, and I see Gomez leaving. Without it, and letās say we are planning for a future of Leoni and Jacquet, I see Gomez staying as there are some question marks over bedding in young players.
I donāt think the transfer fee will factor into it very much, as it will be so modest.
In addition to all this there are question marks over whether or not we will go to three at the back. Itās all up in the air!
Steady on. Arsenal have battle hardened proven performers in those numbers without having to count neophytes or the perennially injured. Our depth in defence would still be way off that.
Yeah, Arsenalās quality, depth and variety among their defenders is one of the best assembled Iāve seen in football in last years. No more and no less than 8 players which is exactly the amount you need, 6 of which can play more than one position, age from 19 to 28, average age 24.4, average market worth ā¬55m. Though weāll see how long can they keep them happy/motivated enough. That could be the difference for them this season, if they succeed.
I felt our attack was the best one last season, albeit with some players that either failed to make a bigger impact or underperformed individually. But as a group of 6 players, I felt really confident at the start of the season that we might have the edge over anyone in the league in that department. Hopefully we improve in the summer through some transfer activity, bringing players into shape and clarity who plays with who and how.
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I blame an intern in my organisation. Itās so difficult to find staff these days.