Defender Joe Gomez has officially signed a new five-year contract with Liverpool FC.
The 19-year old moved to Liverpool from then-Championship outfit Charlton Athletic in June 2015 – but fifteen months out on the sidelines with injury stalled an encouraging start to his career at the club.
He returned from injury in October 2016, though – and has featured intermittently in cup matches this season, impressing in the process.
Earlier on Friday, manager Jurgen Klopp (who is a huge admirer of Gomez, and convinced the under-21 international to put pen to paper), told the club website: “I am really excited about this news because of the incredible potential Joe has – and now we know he will be fulfilling it with us at LFC.
The German added:
“He has had setbacks since he has been here, none more so than his injury, but the really top players react to setbacks and problems in the most positive way possible and he has done that.
“You can see here every day at Melwood in the way the players and staff interact with him, what a popular guy he is with everyone and that is because of his positive attitude, even when he’s faced the most difficult of challenges.
“What we can give him is the precious commodity of time; we will give him the time to develop and improve, to learn even more and to become stronger and better.
“We will invest our time into him and allow him the space to develop and become the player we know he can be. Today’s contract announcement only strengthens this resolve. He will have a big role to play in our future, but he’s also important for our present.
“He has all the attributes you need to succeed at the very highest level in his position. That is on the physical and the mental side, he has it all. But I think it’s his hunger and willingness to learn that will serve him best in his career.”
The deal that Gomez signed will keep him at Anfield until 2022 – and the Englishman is adamant he made the right decision:
“It was a very easy decision”, Gomez also told the club’s website.
“It is a great club and when it was mentioned about me extending my time here, it’s not something I had to think very long about.
“I’m very happy it’s done now and I’ll just look to push on.”
Later, he then posted the following on his Instagram account:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BPx0hq8Diht/?taken-by=joegomez5&hl=en
His new deal is a breath of fresh air, no doubt about it. Joe Gomez could be seen as the next best CB partnership at the club alongside Joel Matip – with Mamadou Sakho isolated in the reserves following his antics which angered Jurgen Klopp.
Gomez is also expected to start on Saturday, when the Reds face Wolves in the FA Cup.
