Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has dismissed a defensive crisis at the club despite only having two first choice centre-backs available heading into the new campaign.
The Reds’ preparations for the new season have been disrupted by yet another injury to Joe Gomez, prompting renewed scrutiny of a defensive department that already looked threadbare despite a record-breaking summer in the transfer market.
The 28-year-old centre-back has been sent home early from the club’s pre-season tour of Asia after picking up an achilles injury before even kicking a ball on foreign soil. Head coach Arne Slot has downplayed the severity of the issue, describing it as “minor,” but the timing could hardly be worse. Gomez’s injury means he will miss Liverpool’s upcoming friendly against Yokohama F. Marinos and leaves his involvement in the remainder of pre-season uncertain.
For 22-year-old this setback continues a frustrating trend. Since joining Liverpool from Charlton Athletic in 2015, his career has been punctuated by injury. Data from Transfermarkt reports that the defender has missed 275 matches for club and country while playing just 241. Last season alone Gomez was limited to 17 appearances across all competitions and has played just 11 minutes in 2025 so far.
The consequences for Slot’s squad are already being felt. With Jarell Quansah sold to Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the window, and Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams no longer part of the senior picture, Liverpool suddenly find themselves with just two recognised senior centre-backs — Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté.
It’s a precarious situation. One more injury and the Premier League champions risk going into the opening weeks of the season without a single specialist centre-back beyond their starting pair.
Despite the mounting concern, Arne Slot struck a composed tone in his post-match press conference, even joking about the idea of a crisis.
“I’m looking to my left [at Virgil van Dijk] — I don’t think we have a concern at centre-back!
“Ryan showed today that he can play that position. He did it last season as well, though we all know he’s a central midfielder. Wataru can also play centre-back. Joe Gomez only has a minor injury. He was good for us last season too. We have enough options left but it’s true that Jarell Quansah left and we haven’t replaced him.”
The issue came into sharp focus during the Reds’ 4-2 defeat to AC Milan in Hong Kong. With Gomez sidelined and Wataru Endo also unavailable due to illness, the head coach had no choice but to experiment.
Ryan Gravenberch was deployed alongside Van Dijk in the first half, while Kostas Tsimikas partnered Konaté after the break. The makeshift solutions were ruthlessly exposed as Milan scored three second-half goals, capitalising on Liverpool’s defensive frailties.
Van Dijk himself came in for criticism, particularly for failing to close down Rafael Leão for the opening goal, as supporters voiced their frustration over a defensive unit that looked far from ready.
However, Slot doubled down on his trust in the squad.
“I also said I was really happy with the squad I had, which we showed by not bringing in players last season and we won the league.”
The club’s decision to sell Quansah without lining up an immediate replacement has been questioned, particularly given Liverpool’s lavish spending elsewhere. Nearly £300 million has been invested this summer, but so far, no centre-back has arrived.
Fresh reports indicate that Liverpool are quietly working on a deal to sign Marc Guéhi, describing the club’s interest as “concrete”, and with a fresh approach to Crystal Palace expected to be made over the coming weeks.
Guehi has long been linked with a move to Liverpool and could be available for a cut-price fee with less than 12 months remaining on his current Palace contract. Guehi has no intention of signing a new deal and, if he does not leave this summer, he will be able to quit the Selhurst Park club for free in 2026.
With Konaté’s contract situation unresolved, Van Dijk ageing, and Gomez now back on the injury list, the need for another defender appears urgent. While Slot has made clear he prefers to keep calm, there is still time for action. The transfer window remains open, and sporting director Richard Hughes has not ruled out strengthening the back line.
