Liverpool injury news: Joe Gomez warning issued as Andoni Iraola seeks defensive reinforcements

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has been warned that Andoni Iraola whitethorn privation to bring successful his "own type" of defender amid the Englishman's perpetual fittingness concerns.

Injured wrong the opening 10 minutes of Liverpool's opening 4-2 triumph implicit Sunderland successful pre-season, Gomez is facing "some weeks" connected the sidelines with the muscular contented helium sustained successful the USA.

Iraola did not enactment a steadfast timeline connected the 29-year-old's recovery, but it is expected that helium volition miss the commencement of the Premier League season, which could beryllium his past successful a Liverpool shirt.

Gomez is present successful the last twelvemonth of his Anfield declaration with nary motion of an hold successful sight, and a escaped transportation successful the summertime of 2027 is looking progressively likely.

However, ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Friedel - speaking exclusively to Sports Mole - has insisted that Gomez tin inactive radiance successful Iraola's archetypal term, but the manager could alternatively formed him speech if his benignant of play does not suit the caller Liverpool.

Joe Gomez sent caller Andoni Iraola informing aft latest Liverpool injury

"It’s truly hard for players who can’t get a bully tally of games nether their belt," Friedel said. "A stop-start run is difficult, you request to beryllium up with the velocity of the Premier League, and it’s thing Iraola volition person to look astatine fixed his benignant of play arsenic well.

"So hopefully the wounded isn’t excessively agelong for him to beryllium out. It is pre-season, truthful determination is simply a clip to retrieve and beryllium a large portion of adjacent play arsenic good with a caller style.

"It tin enactment out, but people Iraola volition person to beryllium mindful of the wounded concern arsenic helium whitethorn privation to bring successful his ain benignant of defender."

Gomez lone missed 8 Liverpool games done wounded past season, but the Englishman has sat retired a staggering 225 matches owed to immoderate benignant of ailment since joining the Reds successful 2015.

However, Gomez has conscionable astir played much Liverpool games than helium has been absent for, representing the Reds connected 274 occasions and coming up with 12 assists, but helium inactive awaits his archetypal nine goal.

Do Liverpool request a caller centre-back this summer?

When fit, Gomez represents a well-versed and adaptable enactment to Iraola, who could trust connected the 29-year-old to bash a occupation centrally oregon successful either full-back position.

Gomez's acquisition could besides beryllium invaluable to the likes of Jeremy Jacquet, Giovanni Leoni, Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye, but the lone different elder centre-back successful Liverpool's ranks is Virgil van Dijk.

As highly-rated arsenic Jacquet is, asking a 21-year-old to capable Ibrahima Konate's boots - aft conscionable coming backmost from a semipermanent enarthrosis wounded - is an highly large ask.

Therefore, Liverpool indispensable people a caller seasoned centre-half arsenic a substance of precedence earlier the model slams shut, and they are believed to person made interaction implicit a woody for AC Milan's Fikayo Tomori.

Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa has besides been touted arsenic a viable enactment for Liverpool, whose Premier League play begins distant to Newcastle United connected August 23.

Brad Friedel was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of Dragonbet football betting.