Liverpool may be left in a difficult situation as a £85,000-per-week star has been linked with a move away during the final hours of the window
Liverpool 'could be caught out' if Joe Gomez seals his Anfield exit, and it may force boss Jurgen Klopp into making a key decision, transfer insider Dean Jones has told GIVEMESPORT.
The Reds have recouped in the region of £50million since the summer window opened for business, but further outgoings are possible ahead of Friday's 11pm deadline.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Gomez could become the next Premier League star to take advantage of the riches on offer in Saudi Arabia as he is high on Al-Ittihad's list of targets.
The Italian journalist suggests Liverpool have no intentions of selling the central defender, who sealed a £3.5million move from Charlton Athletic in 2015, but his versatility has caught the eye of the reigning Saudi Pro League champions.
RedmenTV presenter Paul Machin recently told GIVEMESPORT that Gomez has reached a crossroads in his career and, having entered his prime, consistent game time is needed if he wants to reach the standards he previously set at Anfield.
But the 26-year-old has been restricted to just 71 minutes of action since the new season got underway earlier this month, having failed to be included in a single starting XI.
Bringing the curtain down on his Liverpool career and joining Al-Ittihad would allow Gomez to reunite with former Reds teammate Fabinho, who completed a £40million switch to the side managed by former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur chief Nuno Espirito Santo last month.
The England international's £85,000-per-week contract is due to run until the summer of 2027, meaning his current employers are in a strong negotiating position and not necessarily under pressure to cash in.
Liverpool – Summer Signings
Fee
Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton & Hove Albion)
£35m
Dominik Szoboszlai (RB Leipzig)
£60m
Wataru Endo (VfB Stuttgart)
£16.2m
All fees via Sky Sports
Jones believes Liverpool need to start making inroads in the hunt for a new centre-back as they do not want to run the risk of Gomez moving on without a replacement being lined up.
The respected journalist understands the Merseyside giants are eager to fend off interest from Al-Ittihad, but he has warned that Klopp may have to dip back into the transfer budget as a move cannot be ruled out.
When asked whether Liverpool are in the market for a defender, Jones told GIVEMESPORT: "They weren't. They had kind of gone cold on the idea and it had all gone a bit quiet.
"But with the new Joe Gomez interest, they're going to have to stick the burners back on and make sure they're not caught cold there.
"Although they don't want Joe Gomez leaving and going to Saudi Arabia, they could be caught out in that position. At least the one good thing they've got going for them there is that they have profiled enough players over the course of the summer that they could react, if it were to happen."
Gomez is not the only Liverpool man being linked with a move to Al-Ittihad as, according to MailOnline, Mohamed Salah has given the Saudi Arabian big-spenders encouragement that he would be keen to listen to offers.
The report suggests clubs in the Gulf state view the Egypt international, who has entered the final two years of his £350,000-per-week contract, as a prime target and Al-Ittihad are preparing to lodge a £118million bid.
Although the Merseyside giants have maintained that Salah is not for sale, the money on offer may be too difficult for the winger to turn down.
That is because he would become one of the best-paid players in the world by heading to Al-Ittihad, who are willing to put a deal worth close to £1.5million-per-week on the table.
Alex Crook, the talkSPORT reporter, recently told GIVEMESPORT that sanctioning Salah's departure so close to the deadline would come as a 'nightmare' for Klopp.
Danny is a sports journalist who has more than a decade-worth of experience. Having initially joined Snack Media in 2021, Danny has also written for publications such as the Essex Echo, The Non-League Paper and Shoot.