According to the Athletic, Newcastle United could be near ‘the front of the queue’ to sign Joe Gomez from Liverpool this summer.
That’s providing they avoid relegation, which is suddenly looking a lot more likely following an upturn in fortunes.
Eddie Howe’s side are currently 17th in the table, but sit four points clear of the bottom three. The Magpies are unbeaten in six, and will hope to make it seven this weekend away to Brentford.
The club’s main focus is Premier League survival, but some people within the corridors of St James’ Park will already be making plans for next season.
If we do stay in the top flight, the transfer window could be wild. And the Athletic believe Gomez could be a target if we stay up. That’s very exciting – he’s a Premier League and Champions League winner with 11 caps for England.
But some previous comments from Reds boss Jurgen Klopp prove why he could be a perfect signing for Newcastle.
Joe Gomez has ‘outstanding speed’
In January 2020, with Liverpool already looking set to become Premier League champions, Klopp was asked about Gomez’s impressive form.
“He is a sensational footballer, which is good,” Klopp told Liverpool’s official website.
“He has outstanding speed, which helps us a lot to keep our last line high; he is a really good challenger; good in one-on-one situations; football-wise, I said already, good.”
A lot has changed since then – the world was turned upside down by the pandemic. Things changed for Gomez too.
When football eventually returned, he picked up a horrific injury. He damaged his knee tendon in November 2020, ending the 20/21 season early for him.
He’s back now, but is yet to regain his permanent place in the Liverpool starting XI. Gomez has only started in the Premier League once this season – playing right-back in the recent 3-1 win over Norwich.
The defender’s lack of football is why there is now speculation that he could leave Anfield in the summer.
His injury record is worrying, but he could be a perfect signing for Newcastle if fit. Howe’s defenders still lack pace, which is a concern as we look to play higher up the pitch.
If Gomez still has the ‘outstanding speed’ Klopp previously heralded, he’d fit right in at St James’ Park and be a huge improvement on what we currently have.