Aston Villa are ninth in the Premier League for shots conceded per game (13), 13th in the league for goals conceded (37) and joint-eighth in the league for clean sheets, so the defence needs to improve if a top-six finish is to become a reality.
With the Villans 12th in the table and 15 points adrift of sixth-placed Arsenal with 14 games remaining, it looks unlikely that they’ll do it this season. Steven Gerrard is expected to bolster his side in the summer transfer window and Noel Whelan says Joe Gomez should be top of the wishlist.
Gerrard has Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa, Kortney Hause and Calum Chambers at his disposal, but Mings has short of form while Hause has struggled for playing time, so a new centre-back might be required. Villa have long been linked with Gomez, but they’ll have to pay £30m to sign him.
Whelan told Football Insider: “Absolutely, that’s a very fair price for a quality player. They’d be getting a very good player. As well as someone who is experienced and ready to go in the Premier League.
“The problem, however, is keeping him fit. Can he stay fit for a whole season? If he can, then there’s a massive chance of Aston Villa breaking into that top six.”
Gomez joined Liverpool from Charlton Athletic in 2015 and has gone on to make 134 appearances in all competitions, grabbing four assists. The England international has amassed just 102 minutes of Premier League football this season, however, due to injury and manager preference.
Whelan added: “He’s a solid player. Liverpool would be sad to see him go, there’s no doubt, he’s been a very good servant for them – both at centre-back and full-back. He’d be a great capture for any side outside the top six – he could be a leader for those sorts of teams.”
Time will tell if Villa can get their man over the summer. A move may depend on which existing defender is sold by the Midlands outfit, as Gerrard would have five centre-backs on the books next season with Gomez.
