Liverpool are facing a crucial summer transfer window under Arne Slot, and the future of longest-serving player Joe Gomez appears to have taken a major twist following a defensive bombshell.
Joe Gomez expected to stay at Liverpool after Konate blow
Joe Gomez’s Liverpool future has been up in the air for some time ahead of the defender entering the final year of his contract.
Since arriving from Charlton Athletic, the Englishman has struggled to hold down a regular starting berth and has often suffered from injury issues.
There was a suggestion in 2025/26 that Gomez would leave Liverpool before next season gets underway, but it is now being reported that the stopper will be staying put.
Liverpool’s centre-back ranks were very light in 2025/26 due to Giovanni Leoni suffering a long-term injury that kept him out of all but one game. Jeremy Jacquet is now arriving as cover in the summer, but even with those inexperienced defenders set to feature next term, Ibrahima Konate’s impending exit leaves Liverpool light of experienced stoppers.
In turn, it is perhaps not surprising that the Reds are now planning to keep hold of Gomez this summer. With his deal up in 2027, it would have made sense for Liverpool to cash in now, but it looks as though the Merseyside outfit are happy to let him walk away for free next year.
“Joe Gomez, the club’s longest-serving player, is likely to stay for the final year of his contract.”
While some may see this move as a positive, it is actually a clear sign that Liverpool probably won’t be looking to replace Konate in the transfer market. If we are being honest, Gomez is not good enough to start regularly at centre-back for a top-tier Premier League team. But even if he was, his injury record suggests he will probably miss half of next season anyway.
However, the fact he’s expected to stay suggests that Liverpool will go into 2026/27 with Virgil van Dijk, Leoni, Jacquet, and Gomez as their centre-back options.
That is not good enough. Leoni and Jacquet may have huge potential and could be amazing players in the future. But gambling on either player hitting the ground running with no English top-flight experience, or any real experience at the very top of European football, is not going to help the Reds get back to their best.
However, we have seen so many times over the years that FSG won’t spend money unless they really have to, and the decision to keep Gomez suggests they now think they can avoid dipping into their pockets to replace Konate.
The bombshell contract exits threatening to rock Anfield
Liverpool could now see one long-time star remain at the club after all. The Reds had news of a bombshell decision on Friday: Ibrahima Konate will not remain at Liverpool beyond this season. The Frenchman’s contract expires and it appears he isn’t getting a new one.
This is a story that has rumbled on all season long, however it did look like a positive outcome was on the way. Konate publicly said towards the end of the season that he expected a new deal to get signed.
That won’t be the case, though. The Athletic are among many saying Konate is now to leave the club after failing to agree on terms with Liverpool.
For the second window in a row, then, Liverpool see a first-team star run his contract down and leave. It remains to be seen where he ends up, but all we can say for sure is that the Reds now need to figure out a plan.
PlayerContract ExpiryCurrent StatusTransfer LinksJoe Gomez2027Likely staying for final yearAston Villa, Premier League & AbroadIbrahima Konate2026 (Summer)Departing the clubFree AgentVirgil van Dijk2027Main starterN/A (Awaiting post-World Cup return)
Konate is a starting centre-back for the club and the new signings in the position Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet are both far too young to be entirely relied on. So do the Reds go out and sign a new senior centre-back?
It would be nice but it’s not that simple. Liverpool are already looking to spend on the wings and in midfield. Splashing out more cash at centre-back feels unlikely.
So that’s why it now looks like Joe Gomez will remain at Liverpool. He’s a senior option and any fee the club would receive in a sale is likely to be minimal, given he has just one year left on his contract.
It makes complete sense to keep Gomez as an option for another year, rejecting any overtures from the likes of Aston Villa. He can help keep things steady as Jacquet gets used to life at Liverpool.
Of course, it then creates another nightmare scenario in 2027 with both Gomez and Virgil van Dijk out of contract. But at this stage, Liverpool just need to cross that bridge as they come to it.
Gomez is Liverpool’s currently longest-serving player, with the 2025/26 season marking his 11th campaign at the club. The 29-year-old has one year on his contract and, like seemingly every transfer window, is attracting interest in his services he has suitors in the Premier League and abroad, with Aston Villa the latest to be credited with interest.
Academy reinforcements: Who are the new faces at Kirkby?
While it remains to be seen if Liverpool will add senior depth to their centre-back ranks, they have invested in youth signings in the position in recent months to bolster the academy ranks.
New Youth SigningAgeSigned FromFee / StatusIfeanyi Ndukwe18Austria Vienna£2.6 million (Arriving Summer)Mor Talla Ndiaye18Amitie FCAlready featured in 3 first-team squadsNoah Adekoya19BurnleyAcademy addition
It is easy to see both sides of the coin here, but keeping Joe Gomez feels like a textbook example of papering over the cracks.
ReadLiverpoolFC Verdict
On one hand, Gomez is the ultimate unsung hero of Liverpool’s modern era. As the club’s longest-serving player, spanning 11 seasons from the days of Brendan Rodgers right through to Arne Slot, his loyalty and positional flexibility have bailed the Reds out of countless defensive crises.
Keeping an experienced senior head around to guide incoming youngsters like Jeremy Jacquet makes logical sense on paper.
However, football at the very top is a game of cold, ruthless logistics. Relying on an injury-prone back-up to absorb the minutes left behind by a departing Ibrahima Konate is a massive gamble by FSG and one that could easily backfire.
While moving him on to suitors like Aston Villa or AC Milan would leave the ranks thin, letting a 29-year-old utility player run down his contract to walk away for absolutely nothing in 2027 feels like poor asset management.
If keeping Gomez means Slot’s hands are tied and the club avoids signing a proven, elite centre-back this summer, then this “stay” is bad news for Liverpool’s silverware ambitions.