Joe Gomez has been left out of Liverpool's matchday squad as the Reds prepare to kick off their Premier League campaign against Ipswich Town. The contest will mark Arne Slot's official debut as the club's new manager, replacing Jurgen Klopp who departed at the end of the 2023/24 season. The match will also be the Tractor Boys' first in the top flight since 2002 following their promotion from the Championship last time out.
It's a big occasion for both sides and while they will likely be competing for very different forms of success this year, they'll both want to get off to the best start possible. Unfortunately for Gomez, that will be without him in the team as he's been left out of the starting lineup and not even made it onto the bench. According to The Times, his exclusion could see him leave the side in the very near future.
Gomez is Exploring His Options Any footballer worth his salt wants to play as much of the beautiful game as possible. Being on the outside looking in at a club can be incredible frustrating and it's not a situation anyone wants to find themselves in. That's why Gomez is now reportedly considering his next step.
The centre-back did not even travel with Liverpool for their opening Premier League game as he explores his options before the transfer window closes. If he does leave, he won't be short of options as Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Fulham, Chelsea and clubs abroad have all shown interest in the England international. The defender has been used in a variety of positions over the last few years and it's his willingness to play anywhere that makes him such a useful option to have in the squad.
As a result, any move away from Anfield won't be cheap. He was briefly linked with a move to the Magpies, with Anthony Gordon heading in the opposite direction, but that fell through earlier this summer. Anthony Gordon and Joe Gomez were close to swapping places at Newcastle and Liverpool - until the deal fell apart at the 'eleventh hour'.
Gomez Has Fallen Down the Pecking Order Despite his current status as the longest-serving player at Liverpool, having joined in 2015, Gomez has fallen behind several other centre-backs in the pecking order as new boss Slot simply prefers them. While it's a given that Virgil van Dijk will be starting in the heart of defence for the Reds, the new manager is also said to prefer both Jarell Quansah and Ibrahima Konate to the Englishman. As a result, minutes in his natural position are going to be increasingly harder to come by this year.
As a result, he's considering a move away to land regular playing time as a centre-back. If a move doesn't materialise before the transfer window shuts, though, the Reds are apparently willing to re-integrate him into the team throughout the course of the campaign, rather than leave him rotting on the sidelines..
