Liverpool's defensive gap widens as Gomez injury stalls plans

Liverpool’s pre‑season defensive plans have hit a snag after centre‑back Joe Gomez left the Sunderland friendly after eight minutes with a setback, forcing manager Andoni Iraola into a thin central‑defence pool and confirming the club will not pursue the reported £35 million defender target.

The injury blow deepens Liverpool’s defensive woes. Reported that Gomez went off after only eight minutes and was then absent from training in Chicago on Sunday. No confirmed timescale for his return has been given.

At present, Virgil van Dijk stands as the only fit senior centre‑back available. The Dutch captain remains the defensive leader, yet relying on a single established back at this stage of pre‑season leaves little margin for error.

The problem is compounded by the unavailability of summer arrivals Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni. Jacquet’s issue is understood to be minor, yet the timing leaves Iraola with an undeniably thin group in central defence.

One name that has re‑entered the conversation is Jarell Quansah. Liverpool inserted a buy‑back clause when the England international joined Bayer Leverkusen in July 2025 for £30 million plus £5 million in add‑ons, preserving a route back should circumstances change.

A report states Liverpool have no intention of activating the clause in this window, despite Quansah’s impressive first season in Germany and his inclusion in England’s World Cup squad, where he said his focus is on "the now".

Liverpool’s stance suggests calm rather than panic, at least publicly. The club remains attentive to Quansah’s development and still holds long‑term leverage through the buy‑back clause.

The immediate decision focuses on whether Gomez’s setback proves minor or prompts a broader rethink. If the injury list eases quickly, Liverpool may stick to their existing course; if not, the centre‑back situation could become one of the defining issues of the final weeks of the transfer window.