There were two ways of analysing Curtis Jones’ inclusion in Liverpool’s starting XI for that hard-fought 2-1 win at Southampton on May 17th.
On one hand, it was a show of trust from Jurgen Klopp. That midweek trip to the South Coast was, after all, Liverpool’s penultimate game of the Premier League campaign, with the title decider to come just four days later.
On the other, this was a decidedly second-string Liverpool team. Jones’ tenth start of the league season came at a time in which Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara and Naby Keita were resting their weary limbs following the FA Cup final triumph over Chelsea that previous weekend.
Klopp obviously believed Jones, Takumi Minamino and co were capable of getting a result away at a Southampton team in dismal form. And he was right to think so. But the fact remains that, of Jones’ ten Jones Premier League starts across 2021/22, just three came against top-half opposition.
He was also omitted from the squad for the Carabao Cup final, and didn’t get off the bench as Liverpool chased a goal in Paris.
And, with James Milner staying, Harvey Elliott hoping to push on and with the Champions League finalists looking to add a younger, more energetic, box-to-box midfielder to their rather ring-rusty engine room, Jones is at risk of becoming something of an odd-one-out at Anfield. A victim of the club’s enduring success under their greatest manager in generations.
Could Curtis Jones leave Liverpool?
Liverpool missed out on Aurelien Tchouameni to Real Madrid but their desire to bring him in from Monaco tells it’s own story. According to Fabrizio Romano, Klopp called the £70 million France powerhouse personally. Liverpool have also been at the front of the queue for Barcelona wonderkid Gavi. Talks are also underway regarding Eric Ramires, a forward-thinking, tenacious and adaptable midfield dynamo plying his trade for Red Bull Bragantino in Brazil.
“Liverpool are interested in signing Eric Ramires, information that was confided to me by a person close to Eric and confirmed by the Red Bull Bragantino staff,” says Jorge Nicola, one of the most well-connected reporters in South America.
“There is still no official proposal from Liverpool but there are conversations between the clubs.”
All this raises further questions about Jones’ Anfield future. Aston Villa are long time admirers, having considered a £15 million deal last summer (The Sun). And the presence of Steven Gerrard in the manager’s hotseat means Villa are likely to be at the forefront of any further discussions regarding a Liverpool departure, whether that be permanent or temporary.
Aston Villa like Curtis Jones
“Steven said Jones has everything to become a top player,” Neil Warnock recalls, thinking back to Jones’ time under Gerrard in Liverpool’s academy (Sky Sports). “That’s coming from someone like Steven.”
Jones actually started fewer games in 2021/22 than he did in 2020/21. In another era, a homegrown midfielder with his wide-ranging skillset would probably be a nailed-on starter for Liverpool already. He’s unfortunate, in some ways, then that his emergence as a first-team player has come during Liverpool’s most sustained period of success since the 1980s.
Football can be a cruel game at times. And as Liverpool eye up Gavi and negotiate Ramires, some difficult decisions may need to be made about a man who’s fairytale emergence could have something of a Grimm ending.
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