Joe Gomez latest: Defender aiming for pre-season return
A pre-season return is the current target for Joe Gomez as the Liverpool defender continues to progress positively in his recovery from long-term injury.
The 18-year-old’s debut season at Anfield began even better than he could have hoped, with the summer signing from Charlton Athletic quickly adapting to the Barclays Premier League at left-back.
But misfortune struck while Gomez was on international duty in early October and the subsequent diagnosis confirmed a cruel anterior cruciate ligament injury that would mean an extended spell on the sidelines.
Six months on, the No.12 is obviously in a much brighter mood and able to tentatively look forward to a potential comeback when the Reds start preparations for 2016-17.
He told Anfield HQ: “I’m back outside now so that has been a big step up for me in terms of getting on with my rehab and doing my ball work and just trying to build up my fitness.
“I am in a positive place. My main aim is to get back with the team at the start of pre-season, so I’m going to work as hard as I can over the summer and just try to get myself in the best possible position for the start of pre-season.
“I can’t wait, that’s all my focus is on. I can’t wait to get fit and just get back in with the team and playing, and that’s all that’s motivating me. That’s my main aim right now.”
The timing of Gomez’s setback, in the first full week of Jürgen Klopp’s tenure, means the England youngster has yet to feature under the manager.
But the boss has nevertheless proved a motivation, checking on the player’s rehabilitation whenever possible between the hectic run of matches.
“Obviously there’s not much physically for me to do with him because I’m not fit, but mentally [there is],” said Gomez.
“The first day I came in after the injury, I had the scan and that was his first day at Melwood. Obviously I was quite traumatised at the time after my scan, but he basically said I just had to stay positive and work to get back.
“That has stuck with me ever since, and it’s been a small bit of motivation for me to get back.
“He’s been asking how I am every now and again, so mentally that’s how I’m coping because that is probably the hardest part of the injury, the mental side, just being away from football.”
In a freak coincidence, fellow 2015 arrival Danny Ings also suffered an ACL injury in the same week as Gomez and has been out of action ever since.
A small consolation of the double blow has been the opportunity for the pair to recover in tandem – and grow closer in the process.
He added: “Danny has been a massive part of my rehab, we had our operations on the same day and we’ve been in together since day one.
“Regardless of where we are, we’ve been together for the same amount of time in the same environment undergoing the same thing, so we can naturally relate to each other because we are in the same position.
“He’s a positive person and he’s been such a massive help for me, helping me get through the rehab, all the different parts and the different stages.
“I’ve got a good bond with Danny and I couldn’t have imagined doing that without him.”