Arne Slot might have just dropped a few more transfer breadcrumbs for us to nibble on after his surprising decision to bench Joe Gomez in the opening match of Liverpool against Ipswich Town.
Liverpool clinched a 2-0 win, thanks to goals from Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah. The Reds overcame a newly-promoted Ipswich side, making their Premier League return after two decades.
And while Ipswich put up a decent fight in the first half, Slot’s halftime changes, particularly swapping Jarell Quansah for Ibrahima Konate, ensured the Reds took control.
But let’s get to the juicy part: Joe Gomez. Left out of the matchday squad altogether, Gomez’s absence was unexpected, especially since he’s been part of England’s European Championship campaign.
This could be a not-so-subtle nudge from Slot that Gomez’s days at Anfield might be numbered. The 27-year-old has been linked with Newcastle United. As he is desperate for regular minutes at center-back – a luxury Slot seemingly can’t afford him.
Many outgoings for Liverpool: Gomez and many more
But Gomez was not the only one given the cold shoulder. Sepp van den Berg, Nat Phillips, Tyler Morton, Ben Doak, and Kaide Gordon were also left out in the cold.
Liverpool’s bench, by the way, was stacked with talents like Darwin Nunez, Curtis Jones, and Harvey Elliott. None of them even made it onto the pitch.
Instead, we saw Conor Bradley and Kostas Tsimikas step in for Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson, while Cody Gakpo replaced Jota. With a bench that strong, there is simply no room for the left-out quintet.
Slot’s squad is currently bursting at the seams. And unless some players are shifted out permanently or on loan, it’s hard to see van den Berg, Phillips, Morton, Doak, or Gordon getting any meaningful game time this season.
Gomez, too, might want to keep an eye on that exit door, especially if Liverpool can’t guarantee him the minutes he craves at center-back.
And let’s not forget the Wataru Endo situation – rumours of a possible exit are swirling. But with Liverpool still hunting for midfield reinforcements, weakening that position seems like a long shot. For now, few more loan deals to be in the works before the transfer window slams shut.
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