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Liverpool will reward Joe Gomez’s emergence among the Premier League’s elite defenders with a new, improved contract.

The England defender still has three and a half years remaining on his current deal, so there is no urgency to commit to new terms on either side, but the Reds want to recognise a player Jurgen Klopp said is “the future of Liverpool”.

Negotiations are proceeding, with Anfield chiefs confident the 21-year-old centre-half will extend on significantly improved terms within months if not weeks.

(Image: PA Wire)

Boss Klopp is keen to tie up all his best young players on extended, big money deals to secure a nucleus of talent at the club, and he certainly believes Gomez is part of that elite.

Speaking about the England star, he said: “He has a big future here at Liverpool, no doubt about that. Joe is a very important part of the squad and it’s so nice to see.

“I remember when I came in and everybody told me about him.

(Image: PA Wire)

“Now, seeing him full of confidence, and being really fit, I know what they were talking about when they told me how good he was and, much more importantly, how good he is .

“I knew him, but not really well, and everybody told me how good he was when he came to Liverpool. Then he got the injury and he has had to fight back.

“It took a while, but he has shown so much determination.”

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Gomez is happy at Anfield and has indicated a desire to extend his contract, after forging an exciting partnership with Virgil van Dijk which has seen them emerge as the most efficient central defensive pairing in the league.

While Klopp is keen on securing the services of Gomez it's understood he has passed on any chance to sign Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who has been told by Arsenal he will not be getting a new contract.