Klopp reveals Liverpool's New Year plan for Joe Gomez
Jurgen Klopp insists Joe Gomez will stay at Liverpool rather than go out on loan in the second half of the season.
The 19-year-old defender has been linked with a temporary move to Championship outfit Huddersfield Town in January but Klopp doesn’t believe a spell away from the Reds would benefit him.
Gomez has been building up his match fitness since returning to action for Liverpool Under-23s last month following a year out with anterior cruciate ligament and Achilles injuries.
After three outings for the Reds’ second string, he remains some way off a first-team comeback but Klopp is convinced that the England U21 international has a big future at Anfield.
Asked if Gomez would compete for a first-team spot in the new year or head out on loan, Klopp said: “No to the second question about a loan.
“For us, I don’t think so. We had a very good talk. What I think about Joe Gomez is he is an unbelievable talent, which everybody knew before.
“It’s a long injury and if we send him on loan, with his quality, a team will play him every game. That is not what he needs in the moment. Because he was a long time injured he needs us to judge: ‘now play, now stop, rest, work on this, do this, do a little bit on this’.”
Klopp views the next six months for Gomez as an extended pre-season, enabling him to get up to full speed ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.
"He’s our boy for the future 100 per cent," Klopp added.
"This half a year playing I don’t know, playing the highest level he can, maybe. We have him. So maybe he is an option for the first team. But maybe not for this season.
"His pre-season has already started and he can get match time, and will have match time for sure with the under-23s. That’s very important.
"He was not part of all our tactical drills and all the things we did. Now he is a part of it. And he has to learn a lot which is good.
"There’s no rush for him, and no rush for me. At this moment I would say ‘no loan’ but everything else, we will see."
Source: Liverpool Echo
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