He was one of the highest rated players in Football Manager a few years ago, and now after a series of bad injuries Joe Gomez is finally fulfilling that typically well predicted potential.
The Englishman was outstanding for his country against Brazil on Tuesday, and earned the kind of plaudits after the game that Ruben Loftus-Cheek had against Germany. His performance against the likes of Neymar and Gabriel Jesus was so good that he’s been tipped for a place in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad next year.
He was a talented youngster at Charlton who Liverpool snapped up a couple of years ago, and they are now reaping the rewards of sticking by him through his injury issues – and vitally, of not loaning him out this year.
The most painful part for Chelsea fans is that he could have been a Blue. His best friend Kasey Palmer joined the Blues at 15, and according to the Daily Telegraph, Gomez almost came too, but in the end stayed in South London.
