Gomez to Miss Liverpool Opener; Barcola Bid Planned
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- Joe Gomez was forced off early in the first half of Liverpool's pre-season friendly against Sunderland in Nashville with a muscle problem and is expected to miss the August 23 Premier League opener at Newcastle.
- Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola said Gomez will be "some weeks off" and it would be "impossible" to have him ready for the start of the season, putting the likely absence at roughly one month.
- Liverpool are not expected to sign a replacement center-back despite the shortage; their priority is a wide forward, with the club set to make a formal approach to PSG for Bradley Barcola.
- Virgil van Dijk returns from his post-World Cup break this week to report to Liverpool's training base, while Giovanni Leoni remains sidelined with an ACL injury and new signing Jeremey Jacquet is set to play his first pre-season game against Leeds on Sunday.
- Liverpool could realistically start the new season with only Van Dijk and Jacquet as senior center-back options, leaving Iraola to lean on 18-year-olds Luke Chambers, Ifeanyi Ndukwe, and Mor Talla Ndiaye.
- PSG are in advanced negotiations with Monaco for winger Maghnes Akliouche, a former Liverpool target whose route to Anfield now appears to be closing as the Barcola move takes precedence.
Why it matters: Liverpool open the 2026/27 season potentially down to two senior center-backs — Van Dijk and Jacquet — yet are keeping their transfer focus on attack by pursuing Barcola rather than reinforcing defense. Iraola's public confidence in teenagers Chambers, Ndukwe, and Ndiaye doubles as the club's de facto plan until Leoni recovers.
