Barcelona and Real Madrid transfer plans take a hit with injury to Liverpool star

An injury to a Liverpool defender could have an effect on the transfer plans of LALIGA giants.

Liverpool have suffered a major blow to their defensive depth after centre-back Joe Gomez injured his Achilles during pre-season training. 

The injury 

The 28-year-old defender had discomfort in his Achilles during pre-season training in Asia. He noticed the discomfort during a training session at Hong Kong's Kai Tak Stadium on Thursday and has been flown back to England for evaluation. 

During a subsequent press conference, Liverpool's head coach, Arne Slot, provided an update on the situation. "He was with us for the first part of the week, but he had some Achilles problems,” he said. 

“We thought it was better to assess it back in England and for him to work on him to come back to the team, probably in more ideal circumstances for him than being part of the group that every time goes out. So, we decided to let him go back to England. But we hope and expect to have him back soon.”

Real Madrid transfer plans take a hit 

As Pulse Sports reported, Real Madrid are keen on signing Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate. They initially planned on snapping him up on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the season; however, they are now said to be prepared to pay to sign him this summer. 

Barcelona have also been linked with the France international recently, identifying his availability as a unique market opportunity. However, it is unlikely that Liverpool will be amenable to selling him should Gomez be ruled out for an extended period, as they are out of senior centre-back options.