International star looks set to finally LEAVE Liverpool | OneFootball

One long-time Liverpool star looks set to finally leave the club. That was surely confirmed on Saturday.

Liverpool's squad overhaul is not yet complete - there's a lot to get through at centre-back, for one. The Reds did try to sign Marc Guehi to end the summer transfer window, only for Crystal Palace to pull the plug at the last minute.

Guehi reportedly remains Liverpool's primary target at centre-back, though he's unlikely to be the only one. In fact, we imagine the Reds will try to sign a pair of defenders next year if Ibrahima Konate leaves the club.

The Frenchman's contract expires at the same time as Guehi's. There hasn't been too many positive noises in regards to an extension, either, though Richard Hughes is supposedly deep in talks over a deal.

However, that's not the only potential exit at centre-back. Guehi, after all, wasn't being signed to replace Konate.

Joe Gomez's future

Joe Gomez very nearly left Liverpool in the summer. In fact, a sale to AC Milan would have been sanctioned if the Guehi deal had gone through in good time.

Liverpool were never going to say yes to that move without signing a replacement in Guehi (which, funnily enough, was the same situation that led to Crystal Palace eventually saying no themselves). But that will change in 2026.

A replacement is going to arrive in one way or another and Saturday's defeat to Chelsea made it perfectly clear that any signing would be for Gomez's place. Arne Slot essentially confirmed that by not bringing on the England international despite Konate leaving the pitch injured.

Instead, he moved Ryan Gravenberch to centre-back in a difficult game away at a top side. That would tell us that Slot only really wants to use Gomez is 'easier' games - a situation that can't really go on when you're down to three centre-backs.

We've always expected Gomez to leave next year. Saturday's lack of minutes, though, made us wonder if January is the exit month, rather than the end of the season.

One thing is certain: there's no long-term future for Gomez at Anfield and a replacement is very much on the cards. Saturday sealed that.