Liverpool manager has called Joe Gomez an ‘outstanding player and human being’ after the defender agreed a new long-term contract to prolong his stay at Anfield.
The length of the 25-year-old’s new deal has not been revealed by the Reds, but various reports have claimed it is a five-year contract, meaning the Charlton academy product will remain with the club until 2027.
Gomez first joined Liverpool in 2015 when Klopp’s predecessor was still in charge, and made his first few appearances for the club as a left-back. Since then, though, he has predominantly appeared as a centre-half, and was a crucial part of the team which won the Premier League in 2020, making 28 appearances.
Recently Gomez’s progress has been curtailed by injuries and the arrival of fellow defender Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig. In the past two campaigns he has made a combined total of just 15 Premier League appearances, with the majority last season coming at right-back as a understudy to Trent Alexander Arnold.
But Klopp continues to rate Gomez highly, both as a footballer and a person.
‘As a club, we have had a lot of good, really good news lately and this is some more,’ Klopp told .
‘Joe is an outstanding talent. He is also an outstanding defender and an outstanding human being. He has so many qualities, I could talk about them all day, so knowing that he will continue his journey with us is a massive boost – one that everyone who loves and cares about its present and future should be unbelievably happy about.’
Gomez has been at Liverpool for longer than Klopp, and the German says the player’s combination of youth and experience is especially useful to the team.
‘One of the many wonderful things about Joe is he has experience and youth – that’s not a bad combination. He has not long turned 25 but he was at the club before I was and I think after Hendo and Millie he is our longest serving player. Incredible. But the best thing of all is that his best years are still to come and I could not be happier that this will happen with us.
‘In terms of right now, Joe is in phenomenal shape. We had a few weeks off and when I returned to AXA [training ground] I saw him and my first thought was “Wow!” Physically, he is in such a good place and now all he needs is a good pre-season and the rhythm that comes from this.
‘Everything else is in place and I could not be happier that he will be staying with us for even longer.’
Liverpool’s pre-season campaign gets underway next week with friendly matches against Manchester United in Bangkok and Crystal Palace in Singapore.
, .
, and .
