Aston Villa and Newcastle are likely to be near the front of the queue for Joe Gomez in the summer, according to The Athletic.

It didn’t take long for Gomez to be linked with a move to the Midlands after Steven Gerrard took over at Villa Park back in November.

Reports prior to the New Year suggested that Villa made an offer to Liverpool for the defender. Rumours continued throughout the January window regarding a possible move, with Villa determined to secure Gomez’s services late in the month.

As we know, a transfer failed to materialise, however, the links are refusing to go away ahead of the summer window as Gerrard prepares for his first full season in charge.

The Latest: The Athletic’s claim

The Athletic’s Stuart James and James Pearce shared an in-depth story on Gomez on Tuesday. They revealed that both Villa and Newcastle, should they stay up, are likely to be near the front of the queue for his signature.

They think that Liverpool will need to make a decision on Gomez’s future soon, as he will be into the final two years of his Anfield deal in the summer.

The Verdict: Needed?

Villa and Gerrard have just four senior central defenders on the books in Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa, Kortney Hause and new arrival Calum Chambers.

So, to take Villa to the next level, Gerrard may see bringing in someone like Gomez as a must, especially as his side have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight fixtures.

Gomez, who has been labelled as a ‘sensational footballer’ with ‘outstanding speed’ by Jurgen Klopp, appears to be entering the prime years of his career.

He already has Premier League and Champions League winners’ medals to his name and has made over 100 appearances for the Reds, so a swoop in the summer could be a shrewd one as Gerrard looks to make his mark on the squad.

In other news: One report has outlined the probability of Philippe Coutinho signing on a permanent basis.