Arsenal and Manchester United target Joe Gomez has turned the pair down and is having a medical with Liverpool, reports the Daily Star.
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The Reds have triggered the Charlton Athletic ace’s £3.5 million release clause, beating their Premier League rivals, despite the 18-year-old being a boyhood Gunners fan. The defender’s arrival at Anfield will likely mean that Sebastian Coates completes a permanent move to Sunderland for £4 million.
Gomez caught the eye last season in 24 appearances for the Championship side, and was rewarded with England U19 caps. Despite only breaking into the Addicks’ first team earlier in the year, he adapted well to live in the second tier-a notoriously difficult environment for young players-and thrived in the hurly-burly atmosphere.
His performances prompted interest from Europe, with Borussia Dortmund linked to the player by the Daily Mail.
He featured at all across the back line, but is most suited to playing at either centre-back or right-back. Although the youngster is unlikely to go straight in to the starting line up, there is a possibility Brendan Rodgers could use him on the right in place of the departed Glen Johnson and injured Jon Flanagan.
Liverpool will be hoping that the teenager is able to emulate one of the stars of their local rivals Everton.
John Stones joined the Toffees for a small fee after a season in the Championship with Barnsley. he has now gone on to develop so much that a move to Manchester United is being rumoured by the Daily Mail.
Gomez would become Brendan Rodgers’s fourth summer signing, following the free-transfer additions of Adam Bogdan, James Milner and Danny Ings. The modesty of these recruits, as well as the pursuit of second-tier Gomez is perhaps indication that the Northern Irish boss has been handed a much-reduced budget as he is tasked with scaling the heights of the Premier League once again.