Report: Direct Premier League rival plotting to raid Liverpool for ‘outstanding’ stalwart | OneFootball

Liverpool could find themselves fielding transfer interest for one of their players from a direct Premier League rival this summer.

Last weekend saw Mo Salah and Andy Robertson granted an emotional send-off at Anfield after nine years with the Reds, and there now remains only one player who was in the first team prior to the arrival of that duo in 2017.

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Joe Gomez has just completed his 11th season with LFC, but with his contract about to enter its final year and the 29-year-old limited to seven starts in the most recent Premier League campaign, it’s unsurprising that his future has come under the spotlight.

Aston Villa targeting summer move for Gomez

According to David Kent for the Daily Mail, the long-serving Liverpool defender has emerged as a potential transfer target for Aston Villa, with Unai Emery determined to enhance his squad as they prepare for a return to Champions League football for 2026/27.

The newly-crowned Europa League winners haven’t yet made an official approach for Gomez, who appeals to the Villa Park hierarchy because of his ability to cover multiple defensive positions.

The 29-year-old has also been monitored by Besiktas and AC Milan heading into a summer in which Anfield chiefs may be left with a significant decision over the Reds’ number 2.

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Liverpool can’t afford to offload Gomez yet

It’s viable that FSG might take a pragmatic stance on Gomez, considering his age profile, contract situation, sparsity of starts under Arne Slot and worrying injury record, so we definitely wouldn’t rule out the possibility of a sale this summer.

The defender recently admitted uncertainty over his own future, and with Jeremy Jacquet arriving from Rennes, competition for centre-back places at Liverpool is set to be heightened.

However, Reds fans would surely be up in arms if the 29-year-old is allowed to leave for a direct rival in Aston Villa, who finished one place and five points ahead of us in the recently concluded Premier League campaign.

LFC should be very careful with the decision they make on the Londoner, who’s previously been hailed by Slot for his ‘outstanding’ performances despite not being a regular starter under the Dutchman.

The arrival of Jacquet could potentially be offset by Ibrahima Konate leaving if he doesn’t sign a contract extension in the next month. Even if the latter extends his stay at Anfield, the presence of an experienced figure like Gomez in the dressing room could be invaluable, especially now that Salah and Robertson have left.

In our opinion, Liverpool can’t afford to offload their longest-serving current player just yet, and certainly not to a direct positional rival in Villa.