In a recent report, El Nacional claimed that Newcastle United are eyeing a move for Liverpool defender Joe Gomez. It is believed that the Magpies have identified the England international as an option for the summer transfer window.
Gomez’s Injury Ravaged Season At Merseyside
Gomez is experiencing a difficult campaign with the Reds after failing to start a regular run of matches in Jurgen Klopp’s first XI. He has been prone to injuries which explains why he has only played in 13 matches for Liverpool this season, receiving a total of 530 minutes of game time across multiple competitions.
However, the 24-year-old has done well to average 0.8 tackles, 1.0 interceptions and 1.3 clearances per 90 minutes in Premier League football. The former Charlton player has even been careful with his ball distribution based on his pass success rate of 86.3% in the English first division (stats via whoscored).
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What Will Gomez Bring To Newcastle United?
Gomez can get stuck in with some solid tackles to secure possession back inside his half. He doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when needed and has got the pace to make a few important recovering runs at the back.
However, frequent injuries have derailed his progress in English football. Thus, Newcastle would be taking a gamble if they decide to move in for Gomez in the summer.
Even then, the pros outweigh the cons of signing Gomez as he is good enough to earn regular playing time at St. James’ Park in the coming seasons. He could serve as an upgrade over Fabian Schar who has struggled to be consistent with his performances on the defensive end of the pitch this season.
At 24, Gomez has still got a lot of time to turn his fortunes around for the better. We can expect the Liverpool outcast to bring plenty of quality to Eddie Howe‘s defensive department at the Tyneside club as long as the player can steer clear of injuries over the next few years. Therefore, the Magpies should prioritise on sealing a move for Gomez when the transfer window commences at the end of this campaign.
