The win at West Ham was soured for Arne Slot. (Image: Getty)
may now be forced to rethink their January transfer plans following the injury blow to Joe Gomez. The Reds rounded off 2024 , but the result was soured by Gomez limping off in the first half.
The 27-year-old appeared to pull his hamstring in a challenge with Max Kilman, and immediately signalled to the bench.
Manager has since admitted he’s , but conceded Gomez isn’t likely to return anytime soon.
“You saw today an injury of Joe Gomez. If a player says he wants to stop, he has to be changed,” he said after the game. “In a sprint, then we all know it’s a hamstring and we all know it’s going take a while before he is back. I don’t know how long but he will be out for quite a bit.”
The former international has been resurgent of late, having initially appeared out of favour after Slot’s arrival when he was linked with a move away from Anfield. The game at the London Stadium signified his eighth consecutive start, and 16th appearance of the season.
FSG have , instead opting to focus on assessing targets to bring in this summer. But the injury to the in-form Gomez could now prompt a rethink given the current strain on Slot’s first-team squad.
Joe Gomez leaves the field at the London Stadium. (Image: Getty)
Ibrahim Konate and Conor Bradley are also currently sidelined ahead of a frenzied period for the Reds. They play seven times in January, starting with Sunday’s home game against .
And with the club also top of their table as well as the , Slot will be wary of injury problems disrupting his season. That could lead to adding defensive reinforcements this month to cover the absence of Gomez.
He’s now the club’s longest-serving player having arrived as an 18-year-old from Charlton in 2015. He’s since racked up 240 games for the Merseyside club, although is yet to score for them in any competition.
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Jarell Quansah came on to replace him at , but Slot has appeared unwilling to trust the 21-year-old on a regular basis. He was hooked at half-time during ’s first game of the season at Ipswich and has failed to command a regular starting place since.
Slot has so far been coy over the subject of January signings. He’s added just one permanent addition since taking charge, Georgian keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, but he was immediately loaned back to for 12 months. And may have to dip into the market for a versatile defender to help make do without Gomez.