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Joe Gomez nearing new Liverpool contract - source

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez is close to signing a new long-term deal at the club, a source has told ESPN FC.

The Reds are in advanced talks with the 19-year-old about penning a deal, which will most likely be a five-year contract, lasting until 2022.

Gomez has fully now recovered from ACL and Achilles injuries that kept him on the sidelines for well over a year, and played both fixtures of the FA Cup third-round tie with Plymouth Argyle.

A source has told ESPN FC that manager Jurgen Klopp considers Gomez to be the "real deal" and that his future lies at centre-half.

The versatile defender joined Liverpool from Charlton Athletic in the summer of 2015 for £3.5 million and has made nine appearances in total for the Merseyside outfit.

There were suggestions that Gomez would spend parts of the 2016-17 season out on loan, but Klopp is adamant that the player has a role to play for Liverpool this campaign.

The news comes after his teammate Philippe Coutinho committed his future to the Reds this week by signing a five-year contract, which makes him the club's highest-paid player.