Danny Mills suggested to Football Insider that Curtis Jones could make the step up to regular first-team football, when asked about whether the youngster’s development at the club would reduce the impact of potentially losing Gini Wijnaldum in the Summer.
The Academy graduate has made another leap this year for Liverpool in the continuing absence of Thiago Alcantara, and not to mention with Fabinho’s services being utilised in defence.
“The Wijnaldum contract situation is not going to go away,” the former Leeds man said. “But having seen the Liverpool youngsters a number of times Curtis Jones is certainly one of the stand-out talents and he’s proven he can step up. If needs be, he can play regularly for the first-team.”
Should Gini choose to run down his contact and leave on a Bosman, or as a free agent at the end of the season, it will be difficult for Jurgen Klopp to find a suitable replacement.
To have the answer hidden in plain sight would be perfect – particularly for a manager who so prides himself on finding solutions within the squad.
The question remains: would Jones be able to fill the gap left by the No.5’s potential departure?
It’s not as simple as being the right technical match; the Liverpool youngster would be replacing a key voice in the dressing room, a consistently reliable performer and, perhaps most importantly, a player who never seems to get injured.
A big ask, no doubt, however, from what we’ve seen of the 19-year-old, we wouldn’t be surprised if he turns out to be a regular fixture of this Reds side.