Liverpool‘s Joe Gomez replacement couldn’t look more clear right now. A €60m England star is nailed on.
Liverpool need to figure out what to do with Joe Gomez next summer. The club’s longest-serving player will be out of contract and it’s highly unlikely that the Reds give him a new one.
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As the Athletic points out, it’s one of many decisions facing the new sporting director, Julian Ward. We imagine there’s only one direction things are heading in, though, as Gomez finds himself on the fringes of the first-team and recovering from an injury once again.
It feels certain that Liverpool move on but there is a problem with that. Gomez is homegrown and the squad is up against its foreign player limit. Essentially, it’s very difficult for the club to sign a non-homegrown player to replace a homegrown one. Almost impossible, in fact.
That’s why it looks essentially certain that Jarell Quansah rejoins Liverpool in 2027. The centre-back has established himself with Bayer Leverkusen, forcing his way into the England setup at 23.
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Quansah is, of course, an entirely homegrown Liverpool player who would help pad out the quota and fill any spot vacated by Gomez. The fact he also knows the club and is an international just boosts the idea further.
Liverpool hold a buyback clause in the deal that sold Quansah to Leverkusen, per Fabrizio Romano. That’s a deal which will naturally prove a bargain, not just as a Gomez replacement but potentially to form a new first-choice partnership with Jeremy Jacquet for the post-Virgil van Dijk era.
Van Dijk, after all, is out of contract next summer. Liverpool face a much bigger decision there, as the Dutchman remains their captain and an integral part of the team. But they do need to consider life after him – Quansah, along with Jacquet is likely the answer there.
The Quansah deal, then, looks nailed-on. Liverpool will not find a better centre-back option who ticks the homegrown box, is still young, and who already knows the club.
While we imagine his initial signing will be to replace Gomez – it’s Van Dijk who may ultimately be replaced.
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