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Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has addressed rumours of him joining Aston Villa this summer.
Gomez was strongly linked with a move away from Anfield this window, but instead signed a new five-year deal with the Reds.
Just four Premier League starts last season, none coming in his preferred centre-back role, prompted talk of a potential departure.
He fell down to fourth in the pecking order behind Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip. And with a World Cup on the horizon, Gomez needs minutes.
“I can understand why people would have thought I’d be considering moving on, for sure, 100%,” says Gomez, speaking to the ECHO.
“It’s apparent from my age now and based on my opportunities in the past, there was definitely still a decision for me to make.
“I guess you could see it at as a crossroads. But speaking to the club, I knew it was an important decision for me to make. "Fundamentally, the opportunity that I have here and the platform and the chance to be at this club is one that is hard to walk away from."
"Essentially, it was me accepting the fact I have got to take on the challenge.”
Gomez admitted he did hear about rumours linking him to Villa Park, which would've seen him link up with Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.
“I can’t dispute I heard about these rumours,” he says.
“But until things are concrete with my representatives, I take it all with a pinch of salt."
"Any interest is flattering, but I don’t really see it like as that much of a distraction because until I make my decision, the external noise is just that – external."
"Once I got my head around what I wanted to do, my signing is me understanding the challenge and wanting to rise to it.”
“The whole energy within the camp is amazing and I wouldn’t choose any other people to be in competition with, in that environment and the atmosphere we have."
"It pushes us in the best way possible."
Gomez will aim to start the Reds first match of the season against Fulham, which kicks off at 12:30 on August 6th.
