Joe Gomez Left Out of Liverpool's First Match

Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed confidence that defender Joe Gomez will remain with the club as the transfer window approaches its close, although he acknowledged the unpredictability of football. Gomez, who has been with Liverpool since 2015, was not included in the starting lineup recently, a decision Slot attributed to the player's limited pre-season preparation compared to his teammates. Despite the speculation surrounding Gomez's future, Slot believes the 27-year-old has maintained a positive mindset throughout the past few weeks. Slot emphasized that Gomez's omission was not a reflection of his abilities but rather a result of managing his training load after a less active summer. He noted that Gomez has shown improvement in training and is adapting well alongside his teammates. "It has been a good week for him and us until now," Slot remarked, indicating that Gomez's performance in training has been encouraging. In addition to Gomez, Slot highlighted the importance of Ryan Gravenberch as Liverpool's new defensive midfielder. With the club's initial target, Martin Zubimendi, opting to stay at Real Sociedad, Slot has turned to Gravenberch, who has only played a few matches for Liverpool. The manager acknowledged that Gravenberch has much to prove in the Premier League, emphasizing that his performance will depend on the overall team dynamics. As Liverpool prepares for the upcoming season, Slot's comments reflect a blend of optimism and realism regarding player performance and potential transfers.