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Jurgen Klopp stated that Joe Gomez has never expressed any desire to leave Liverpool and reassured that the player, who has been with the club for the longest time, feels completely comfortable at Anfield.
In January, Gomez is expected to reach his 200th appearance for Liverpool after facing challenges with injuries and limited playing time. According to Klopp, the defender had a tough season last year and has only been able to start 25 league games in the past three seasons due to injuries.
However, the 26-year-old has performed exceptionally well in three different roles this season. Due to injuries to Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas, he has become Jurgen Klopp’s preferred left-back for the upcoming weeks.
However, the German individual stated that the former Charlton player remained committed to the team despite facing difficult circumstances. Aston Villa had shown interest in signing Gomez when Steven Gerrard was their manager, but he is now the sole remaining player from Brendan Rodgers’ team to be part of Klopp’s squad.
Klopp stated that Joe is very comfortable in this environment, making it the top reason for his success. Despite facing numerous injuries during his tenure here, Joe has still managed to play a significant number of games with his exceptional skills. This cannot be attributed to me or Brendan, as he was already a regular player when I took over.
“Subsequently, he sustained an injury while on international duty with the Under 21 team. However, during our most successful seasons, he frequently played as a centre half alongside Virgil van Dijk. While he did occasionally rotate with Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren, he still managed to play a significant number of games.”
“He possesses the ability to play in all defensive positions, which is crucial. Despite not performing well last year, he has returned to top form and may even be playing better now, despite being a young player. As a team, we consider him to be an extremely valuable player.”
“He never once came to my office and inquired, ‘Am I allowed to leave?’ Never. We always resolved things before it reached that stage. We negotiated a new contract, which he eagerly signed because he wanted to stay. I believe he and his wife truly feel a deep connection to Liverpool, and that is the main reason for his decision.”
“He understands that during his recovery from injuries, if he plays elsewhere and gets injured again, he will not be the same player. However, here he is still a part of our team and we will handle it. He has plenty of time to recover, which is also a positive aspect.”
Source: independent.co.uk
