WHY JOE GOMEZ MISSED HIS AC MILAN FLIGHT BY ONLY TWO HOURS
AC Milan are back for Joe Gomez, but Arne Slot won't budge. Discover the secret "Guehi condition" keeping Gomez at Anfield in 2026.
Liverpool's going to try to buy some players in January, but AC Milan's thinking about nabbing a player that Arne Slot still needs.
I bet Arne Slot thought managing Liverpool would be a snap, but that quick Premier League win turned into a proper nightmare.
It looks like the Reds boss has finally worked out the right tactics and players. Results are getting better, and the league table's not looking as bad as it did a month or two ago. The guy's got to be hoping everyone stays fit and that January goes well so the team can get back in the title race, especially with that big game against Arsenal coming up fast.
AC Milan still wants Joe Gomez
The last thing he wants is a repeat of all those injuries and the constant team changes that messed things up at the start of the season. Plus, they've got to decide what to do with those players who almost left over the summer. One of them is Joe Gomez, who was close to joining AC Milan—that would've been huge for Liverpool since he's been there the longest. According to Lewis Steele at The Daily Mail, they'd only consider selling him if, given how few choices Slot has, it would be dumb to let any first-team players go in January.
Gomez had teams in Italy interested in him during the last week of the summer, and AC Milan is still keen, but he can't leave unless they sign someone to replace him. Slot might trust other players to fill in, but he really needs centre-halves who can play every week. Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are trusted, no matter how they're playing. Also, not having Giovanni Leoni available is a bummer since the young defender looked very good in his first game.
How close was Gomez to leaving Liverpool?
It was the same kind of story in the summer, as Gomez was hurt by Crystal Palace not being able to sign a replacement for Marc Guehi. Talking to Liverpool World in the summer, Sky Sports transfer journalist and Italian football expert Luca Bendoni explained just how close the versatile defender came to leaving Anfield.
Milan had a full deal ready for Joe Gomez, Bendoni said. Everything was set to go; the player was supposed to fly, and the flight was booked. They needed his decision by about 1 p.m. because they wanted to do his medical checks, so they (Milan) needed the go-ahead in time. The go-ahead could only happen if Liverpool signed (Marc) Guehi, but it had to be before 1 p.m. because they had to fly him (Gomez) to Italy. They ran out of time.
Letting Jarrel Quansah leave without signing Guehi was a mistake, but it feels like Gomez has suffered because of it since there aren't many other options. Liverpool needs to get their act together in January and actually buy some players, not just keep the ones they have because they need the bodies.
ALAN SHEARER DEMANDS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TROPHY FOR ARNE SLOT TO KEEP JOB
Arne Slot under fire! See the Shearer vs Richards debate on The Rest Is Football podcast about Liverpool’s future.
Alan Shearer thinks Arne Slot needs to actually win the Champions League if he wants to stay in charge at Liverpool, but Micah Richards sees things differently. He says Slot deserves another season, no matter what happens.
Right now, Slot’s under real pressure. Liverpool’s Premier League title defence has been a mess. They got humiliated in the FA Cup, losing 4-0 to Manchester City, and things aren’t looking any better as they head to France to face PSG in the Champions League quarter-final. If they don’t win in Europe, they probably miss out on the Champions League next season at least, that’s how Shearer sees it, since their league form has been awful.
On The Rest is Football podcast, Shearer was blunt: “It’s crazy, especially after last season and all the money they’ve spent. It just hasn’t worked; they’re all over the place, so inconsistent. He has to win the Champions League. I’m not even sure finishing top five will be enough, and it’s just sad seeing how things have gone at Liverpool.”
Back in January, Shearer said he expected Slot to get sacked if he didn’t secure Champions League football for next year. There’s a small lifeline: the Premier League might get an extra Champions League spot through the coefficient rankings, but that’s not confirmed yet.
If that happens, fifth place gets you in. Liverpool is fifth right now, but the race is tight. Only five points separate them from ninth-place Fulham, and teams like Chelsea, Brentford, and Everton are waiting for any slip-ups, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Shearer’s convinced Slot is in trouble if he misses out on the top European competition. Richards, though, thinks the Dutchman’s earned more patience, especially after winning the league just last season.
Richards said, “I’d give him another season. I hate calling it a transition, and yeah, he’s spent a lot of money, but their main striker’s been out injured, there’s been tragedy in the club, the whole contract saga with Salah has been one thing after another. Give him one more pre-season. If things aren’t fixed by Christmas, then fine, make the change. Let’s not forget, he just won the Premier League.”
Shearer wasn’t buying it. He cut in: “That’s fine, but after winning the league, they’re miles off this season, even after all that spending. I hear what you’re saying about bad luck and circumstances, but this is Liverpool. They’re expected to win, and they’ve spent a fortune. They might not even finish in the top five, that’s why he has to win the Champions League.”
FABRIZIO ROMANO CLARIFIES REAL MADRID’S STANCE ON SELLING LIVERPOOL TARGET EDUARDO CAMAVINGA
Fabrizio Romano reveals Real Madrid's stance on Camavinga as Liverpool battles Man Utd for Maghnes Akliouche.
Liverpool is going head-to-head with Manchester United for a talented winger who could step in for Mohamed Salah. Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano has weighed in on Real Madrid’s position regarding a possible sale of a major Liverpool midfield target.
With Salah officially confirming he’ll leave Anfield at the end of the season, Liverpool have agreed to let him go for free, waiving the final year of his contract as a mark of respect for what he’s done for the club.
RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande looks like the favourite to replace Salah. But Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche has become a serious option, too.
Both Liverpool and United have ramped up their interest in Akliouche, recently sending scouts to watch him in Monaco’s 2-1 win over Marseille. Liverpool sees him as a real target after Salah’s departure, mainly because of his versatility, creativity, and potential for growth.
They’ve checked in on other top wingers like Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola, but Akliouche seems to be a more realistic option. Monaco is open to a sale, but wants about €70 million (about £61 million).
United, though, are now in the mix as well. So Liverpool has some competition for Akliouche, who tallied seven goals and eight assists in his 37 games this season.
On the Real Madrid front, French outlet L’Equipe claims the club could be willing to sell Eduardo Camavinga, a player Liverpool wants for their midfield. Romano responded, saying that while Madrid isn’t shoving Camavinga out the door, they would consider a strong offer from Liverpool.
Romano made it clear: Camavinga’s still a key part of Madrid’s plans, even if his form’s dipped a bit lately. Madrid doesn’t want to lose him unless a really attractive deal comes along. If no huge offer arrives, they simply keep him.
Some whispers suggest Camavinga could be available for as little as €50 million (£44 million), but the real price is likely to be closer to €70 million.
Back at Liverpool, Paul Joyce reports that FSG’s confidence in new boss Arne Slot will get tested soon, with a tough run of fixtures featuring PSG, Everton, Man United, Chelsea, and Aston Villa.
Journalist Pete O’Rourke even says Liverpool would be ready to sack Slot if things go sour and the atmosphere turns toxic.
Former player Steve Nicol has also changed his mind about Slot. Initially, he pushed back on the idea of bringing in Xabi Alonso, but now he admits that, given the current options, he’d go for Alonso if Slot departs. In Nicol’s eyes, if Slot leaves, Alonso wouldn’t be a bad solution; nobody else stands out as a better pick.
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