Liverpool have confirmed the signing of the England Under-19 defender Joe Gomez from Charlton for £3.5m, becoming the fourth signing of what has already been a busy off-season at Anfield.
Gomez, who turned 18 last month, impressed in his first league campaign at The Valley and joins James Milner, Danny Ings and Adam Bogdan on the list of players to have signed with Brendan Rodgers’ team since last season, when they finished sixth, eight points adrift of the Champions League places.
“It’s a dream come true,” Gomez told Liverpool’s website after passing a medical. “It’s a bit surreal and it hasn’t really hit me yet. But I’m buzzing and just excited to get started. The club has got great history and it’s a great club, and one that I’ve always been following from when I was young. The style of football and the top players here was somewhere that I wanted to go and get better and learn, and play good football. It was an easy decision.”
Though used most often at right-back last season, Gomez spent much of his time in the Charlton academy as a centre-half, having joined the club as a 10-year-old. He signed a three-year deal last year but it is understood it contained a £3.5m release clause. “I’ve been here since I was 10 years old and it’s been a great experience,” he added. “The club have always looked after me and I will always be grateful.
“I’m excited for the new challenge at Liverpool and it’s an opportunity that I’ve only been given thanks to the experience that Charlton have given me.”
The completion of the deal might now pave the way for Sebastián Coates to make a permanent move from Anfield to Sunderland, having spent last season on loan there. Coates is on international duty at the Copa América with Uruguay.
Luis Alberto is set to return to Anfield, after his two-year loan deal with Málaga was reportedly cut short by the Spanish club, having made only six starts in La Liga last season. Alberto cost £6.8m when signing from Sevilla in 2013 but the 22-year-old midfielder started only two games for Liverpool – against Notts County and Oldham – before moving to southern Spain. He is unlikely to be part of Rodgers’ plans and may be loaned out again if the club cannot find a buyer.
