Newcastle United join Aston Villa in race for 24-year-old Liverpool star

Newcastle United are ready to battle Aston Villa for the signature of out of favour Liverpool defender Joe Gomez, as per reports from Fichajes.

The 24-year-old has struggled for playing time at Anfield this season following the arrival of Ibrahima Konate in the summer from RB Leipzig. The England international currently finds himself as the fourth-choice centre-back behind Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate in the pecking order.

Gomez has played just 530 minutes across all competitions for the Reds this season, with just 102 of them coming in the Premier League. With 11 caps for England and now 24 years of age, it is no wonder that Gomez will be looking for more game time. His situation has already alerted a host of admirers.

Both Newcastle United and Aston Villa are said to be keen on signing the Charlton Athletic academy graduate.

Newcastle United, backed by their new Saudi owners, are expected to continue their spending spree this summer. Eddie Howe has reportedly identified Gomez as a player who can take his defence to the next level.

However, the Magpies will have to fend off competition from Aston Villa if they have to get their man. With Steven Gerrard at the helm at Villa Park, this certainly won't be an easy task. Villa have shown that they are an ambitious club by backing Gerrard in January as he signed Lucas Digne from Everton and Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona.

With Gerrard sharing an excellent relationship with Liverpool, Aston Villa might hold a significant advantage over Newcastle in securing Gomez's signature.

Could Joe Gomez leave Liverpool in the summer?

Joe Gomez is one of the longest-serving players at Liverpool right now, having been at the club since 2015. The defender is one of the few signings made by Brendan Rodgers to have remained for so long at Anfield under Jurgen Klopp.

The 24-year-old has been a brilliant servant for the Reds since joining them from Charlton Athletic as an 18-year-old.

Gomez was Klopp's first-choice centre-back alongside van Dijk for a long period of time. He played an integral role in the Reds' Champions League and Premier League triumphs.

The England international has been very unfortunate with injuries throughout his entire career and his absence proved to be a huge setback for Liverpool last season.

Fans will have to wait and see what the defender's future holds. However, it won't be easy to persuade Klopp to sell such a talented footballer.