Real Madrid are reportedly keeping a close eye on Joe Gomez's situation at Liverpool ahead of a possible move next summer.
Gomez has fallen down the pecking order at Anfield since suffering a serious knee injury which ruled him out for the majority of last season, with Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate all now ahead of him in Jurgen Klopp's thinking.
The England international has made just nine appearances across all competitions this season and is yet to start a single Premier League game in 2021-22, featuring for only 12 minutes in the top flight.
Speculation has grown over whether Gomez might look to leave the club on loan in January in search of more regular first-team football, with one eye on the World Cup in 2022.
Klopp has previously insisted that Liverpool are not considering allowing the 24-year-old to leave, but the Daily Mail reports that Real Madrid could now be interested in testing their resolve next summer.
Los Blancos are in the market for extra defensive cover and have been linked with a number of centre-backs already, including Antonio Rudiger, Jules Kounde, Pau Torres and Matthijs de Ligt.
Gomez has now joined that quartet on Madrid's shortlist, although the Spanish giants' priority next summer remains in attack, with Kylian Mbappe and Erling Braut Haaland both on their radar.
Barney Corkhill
