Joe Gomez claims “hard to walk away” from Liverpool as reason to sign contract extension
Joe Gomez recently signed a contract extension with Liverpool that keeps him at the club till 2027. The defender says one of the reasons to extend his stay was the allure of the Merseysiders.
Gomez has been at the club since 2015. The 25-year-old has had a hard time with injuries at the club. Last season the defender was finally able to remain injury free, although he wasn’t given many minutes.
Gomez realises the dilemma he had before signing the extension. For a player who is 25, game time is an important factor. Speaking to Liverpool Echo, the English national understands why people saw his future away from the Reds.
“I can understand why people would have thought I’d be considering moving on, for sure, 100%. It’s apparent from my age now and based on my opportunities in the past, there was definitely still a decision for me to make.”
“I guess you could see it at as a crossroads. But speaking to the club, I knew it was an important decision for me to make.”
Naturally, fans feel a quality player like Gomez will look for a move away rather than sitting on the bench. The 25-year-old’s Liverpool career may have been hindered by injuries, but his qualities have been apparent for everyone to see when the defender has featured.
The cruciate ligament injury in his debut season and the patella problems in 2020/21, among other injuries over the years, have made it impossible for the English national to step onto the pitch regularly for the Reds.
Gomez ready for a challenge
Staying at Liverpool was a decision Gomez didn’t take lightly. He might not be the first name on the team sheet, but the idea of representing the Merseysiders is appealing. The 25-year-old is now looking forward to the challenge.
“Fundamentally, the opportunity that I have here and the platform and the chance to be at this club is one that is hard to walk away from. Essentially, it was me accepting the fact I have got to take on the challenge.”
Liverpool boast one of the best defences in world football. Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip created a solid partnership last season. The two were Klopp’s first choices.
Ibrahima Konate broke into the team as well last season and showed the Anfield crowd what he’s capable of. The Frenchman’s strength and defensive nouse were on full display as the 23-year-old played an essential part in the Reds’ Champions League campaign.
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Gomez has decided to stay and fight for a place. Fans will hope the 25-year-old’s injury woes have left him behind. As we saw in the 2020/21 campaign, an injury to our prominent defenders makes it difficult even to achieve a top-four berth.
