The Liverpool centre-back problems continue for the Reds, as they have been struck by another issue ahead of the new 2026/27 Premier League season. The Joe Gomez injury, sustained in Liverpool’s pre-season friendly win over Sunderland, adds another defensive player to the treatment table ahead of the new campaign.
After Ibrahima Konate’s departure on a free transfer to Real Madrid, all eyes were on the Reds and new manager Andoni Iraola on who may be added to the defensive setup in the Frenchman’s place.
However, at least for now, no one is expected to be signed in the current transfer market. With that being said, Virgil van Dijk is the only fit first-team centre-back the club has, but the Dutch defender is set to return to training this week ahead of Liverpool’s pre-season friendlies at Anfield.
As the Premier League season draws closer, Liverpool have a race against time as to what decisions they make for the back line and whether they make any signings to reinforce the low squad depth.
Liverpool Centre-Back Problems: Captain Virgil van Dijk Looking Lonely At The Back
The Dutch international, who turned 35 last month, has seen his centre-back partner, Ibrahima Konate, leave on a free transfer, and now he has been left all on his own with all of Liverpool’s centre-back options dropping like flies.
Firstly, Giovanni Leoni, who signed last summer from Parma for a reported £26 million, picked up a devastating ACL injury in his first appearance for the club, in a Carabao Cup clash against Southampton.
Next, we have Jeremy Jacquet, who joins the club this summer from Rennes following February’s pre-contract agreement of £55 million plus £5 million in add-ons. The Frenchman has not played since early 2026 and was one of the first players to report for pre-season; however, the club have taken a cautious approach with him after his long lay-off following a shoulder injury.
Finally, the Joe Gomez injury made it three out of three centre-back options to be sidelined with injury. The 29-year-old has been ruled out for the season opener against Newcastle United, as the Reds are now down to the bare bones in the centre-back department.
For the rest of the USA pre-season training camp, Liverpool will have to utilise their young defenders, Luke Chambers, Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye, who have stepped in during pre-season and have impressed Iraola with their performances during the games so far.
The Joe Gomez Injury: Another Setback For The 29-Year-Old
Over the last 11 seasons, the Joe Gomez injury problems have seen the defender sit on the sidelines for over 1,000 days with 25 various injury setbacks. From cruciate ligament tears to hamstring problems, Gomez has been one of the unluckiest players in world football when it comes to his injury record.
He did manage 21 Premier League appearances last season, and a total of 33 games in all competitions; however, most of his appearances came from the bench, as showcased by his 600 minutes played in the league. The Englishman looked to get a positive pre-season under his belt ahead of an important season for him, but his plans were cut short as the Joe Gomez injury curse struck again with a muscle injury that saw him substituted 10 minutes into the first game of the pre-season tour.
The Joe Gomez injury was quickly discovered, and Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola ruled the defender out of the Premier League season opener.
When talking about the injured defender, the Reds manager said:
“Joe [Gomez] has a muscle injury. I think it was quite clear since he complained straight away, so it will depend how he evolves, but he will be some weeks off,” Iraola said.
“It’s a muscle injury and [with] muscle injuries it is difficult to say one day, but normally I always put myself as one month.
“If it goes very good the injury is a little bit less, if [not] it goes a little more. It’s not massive, it’s a normal muscle injury, [but] I think it’s going to be impossible to have him for the start of the season because we are not so far [away]. It shouldn’t be a lot more.”
With experienced first-team centre-back options down to only Virgil van Dijk, it may be up to a player like Ryan Gravenberch or Kostas Tsimikas to fill in whilst the Reds wait for one of their defensive players to return.
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Liverpool Centre-Back Problems: Bradley Barcola Chase Continues
Liverpool’s pursuit of Bradley Barcola has been well-documented, as the French international looks bound for a move to Merseyside, and the Reds have been given the green light with Paris Saint-Germain chasing to sign a winger themselves.
The Parisian giants are valuing the forward at around £140 million, but Liverpool are hopeful of getting the deal done for around £100 million. With two years left on his deal at PSG, Barcola has been widely tipped to make the switch to the Premier League as the Ligue 1 champions look to make signings in his place.
Maghnes Akliouche from Monaco and Ajax star Mika Godts are reportedly rumoured to be on PSG’s target list, with the duo close to agreeing deals to move to the French giants.
If Liverpool can secure Barcola, it would be a major addition to the Reds’ front line, but fans and pundits alike will wonder why the Liverpool centre-back problems are not being acted upon with all of the injuries they have amassed so far.
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