Liverpool's Missed Opportunity with Diego Gomez

Anfield can already see it. This Liverpool side under Andoni Iraola is exciting, aggressive, full of promise – and still clearly unfinished.

The early weeks of the 2026/27 season have offered enough glimpses of what might come to keep the Kop engaged. Jeremy Jacquet has slipped into Liverpool’s defence with the ease of a player who has been there for years, not weeks. He looks like he belongs. Alexander Isak, burdened by a £125 million price tag, finally resembles the ruthless centre-forward the club thought it had signed. Bradley Barcola, too, is starting to find his rhythm in Iraola’s system, his movement and touch sharpening with every outing.

There is progress. But there is also an obvious gap.

For all the energy and intent, Liverpool’s squad still feels unbalanced, a team caught halfway between eras. Iraola’s ideas are clear – aggressive pressing, vertical attacks, relentless running – yet the personnel to execute that vision over a long, brutal season is not fully there. One name, in particular, underlines that problem: Diego Gomez.

Brighton’s new engine – and a missed opportunity

Down on the south coast, Brighton have again found a way to stay ahead of the curve. Under Fabian Hurzeler, they have surged into the early conversation for a top-four place, not as plucky outsiders but as a side that looks built to stay there.

Their rise has been a collective effort, but some individuals have cut through the noise. Diego Gomez sits at the heart of that. The Paraguayan has become one of the most talked-about players in the league, not just for the viral moment – that outrageous strike from the halfway line against Crystal Palace – but for the way he embodies Hurzeler’s football.

High tempo. High aggression. High responsibility.

Gomez covers ground, snaps into duels, and still finds the quality to drive his team forward. He is the kind of midfielder who can set the tone for 90 minutes, the type managers build systems around.

Which is why the latest development on his future should sting at Anfield.

United move, Liverpool watch

According to Hooligan Soccer, Manchester United are currently the “sole serious and determined candidate” to sign Gomez in January. Arsenal and Atletico Madrid are said to be monitoring the 23-year-old as well, but it is United who are pushing hardest.

Liverpool are nowhere in the frame.

For a player so obviously suited to Iraola’s demands, that is a remarkable omission. Gomez’s high-energy, athletic style is almost tailor-made for a coach who wants his midfield to press, harry, and then spring forward with purpose. This is not a luxury playmaker or a specialist. This is a two-way force who can connect defence and attack and still have the legs to press again.

Reports suggest a fee of around €50–60 million (roughly £40–50 million) would be enough to prise him away in January. In today’s market, that is not a bargain, but it is far from outrageous for a player entering his prime, already proven in the Premier League, and capable of covering multiple roles.

For Liverpool, that price point should not be a deterrent. It should be a trigger.

The profile Liverpool lack

Look at Iraola’s squad and the fit is obvious. His system demands midfielders who can live in chaos and control it. Players who can sprint to press, then have the composure to play. Gomez does both. He has the engine to anchor a press and the versatility to operate in different zones, a vital trait for a side that wants to be fluid without losing structure.

He can drop deeper to shield the back line. He can push higher to support the forwards. He can shuffle wide to cover spaces when full-backs fly on. That sort of utility is not just a bonus; it is exactly what top sides need as they chase trophies across four competitions.

Liverpool, still trying to re-establish themselves at the summit of English football, cannot afford to ignore players who tick so many of their tactical boxes. Especially not when a direct rival is moving first.

Julian Ward will know all about Gomez’s qualities. He will have seen the numbers, the running data, the duels won, the distances covered. He will have watched the clips of that goal against Crystal Palace and, more importantly, the work Gomez does in the 89 minutes around it.

The question is simple: can Liverpool really watch Manchester United sign a midfielder built for Iraola’s football and do nothing in January?