‘My first thought was wow!’: Jurgen Klopp taken aback by ‘phenomenal’ Liverpool player in training this week

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Jurgen Klopp was taken aback by what he saw from Joe Gomez in training this week. The Liverpool defender has a new long-term contract.

Joe Gomez will stick around at Liverpool for a long time to come. That’s now confirmed as he penned a new contract with the club, despite all the talk that he would leave this summer.

And that talk was entirely understandable. Gomez started just four Premier League games last season, totalling 331 minutes across the league campaign. For comparison, he played 590 minutes the year before despite a season-ending injury in early November.

In 2019/20? Gomez played 2000 minutes as he played regularly alongside Virgil van Dijk. The Reds won the title that season, of course.

But that injury cost Gomez his place and he’s now fourth-choice at the back for Liverpool. He’s going to stay at the club, however, committing his future to Anfield when he could be playing regularly elsewhere. Clearly, the player believes he can get his place back.

The Mirror claims that’s very possible. Jurgen Klopp supposedly told Gomez that an injury-free run would see him back in the team. And with that in mind, Klopp’s comments on Thursday are particularly interesting.

Joe Gomez in Liverpool training

“In terms of right now, Joe is in phenomenal shape,” Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com. “We had a few weeks off and when I returned to AXA I saw him and my first thought was ‘Wow!’.

“Physically, he is in such a good place and now all he needs is a good pre-season and the rhythm that comes from this.

“Everything else is in place and I could not be happier that he will be staying with us for even longer.”

That’s what we want to hear as a fully-fit Joe Gomez is a fantastic player and one of the best centre-backs around. We’re not sure there’s about real doubt about that. His only issue has been staying fit.

And things certainly sound positive in that regard. Klopp thinks he’s thriving and the contract backs that up – Liverpool surely wouldn’t sign Gomez to a long-term deal if they had concerns over his fitness.

This is one to celebrate, then. Liverpool have tied down a magnificent player for his best years.