According to a recent report by The Daily Mirror, Liverpool have no intention of allowing Curtis Jones to go out on a loan spell next season. The same source has also mentioned that the Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is planning to offer the English midfielder more first-team chances so that he can make a bigger impact at Anfield in the upcoming campaign. This latest development comes after both Kevin Phillips and Danny Murphy recently urged the Merseyside club to let Jones go out on loan to further his development.
Jones’ Brilliant Rise At Merseyside So Far
The Liverpool-born playmaker has finally managed to break into Klopp’s senior side and has shown some flashes of his potential throughout this season. He announced himself to the world when he scored the only goal of the game in a Merseyside derby win over Everton in the FA Cup earlier in this campaign. His long-range strike was a thing of beauty which will live long in the memories of the Liverpool supporters as it came from one of their own that ended up knocking their bitter rivals out of the prestigious tournament.
Jones is currently the skipper of the Reds Under-23 side after performing well at various youth levels for his boyhood club. He has secured eight senior appearances under the stewardship of Klopp, netting two goals in all competitions so far. However, the 19-year-old would be desperate to earn more first-team opportunities in the coming years as he is motivated to do well for the Merseyside giants in the long-run.
Being ‘a local lad’ has heaped a lot of pressure on his shoulders, and to his credit, Jones has done remarkably well to manage all the growing expectations surrounding his incredible rise at Anfield. Now the next step for him would be to establish himself as a regular in Klopp’s starting XI, but for that to happen, he would first need to prove his worth on the training ground. The likes of Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita are all ahead of him in the Liverpool pecking order so it won’t be easy for Jones to get selected regularly if he stays with the club next season.
What Makes The England Under-19 International Such An Exciting Talent?
Jones is currently playing an integral role for the Merseyside club’s U-23 team after scoring nine goals and providing five assists in 14 matches for them in the Premier League 2 this season. The talented youngster has proven time and time again that he has what it takes to succeed for his local club. However, there is no hiding from the fact that he needs more playing time if he wants to improve as a midfielder by featuring at the highest level week in week out.
What makes Jones such an outstanding young asset for Liverpool is his versatile nature to operate in multiple positions across the midfield. He has been predominantly used as as a box to box midfielder by Klopp this term, but he has the skillset to fill in as a winger down the left flank if required. The Reds wonderkid has also made a positive impact for England at various youth ranks but is still waiting to earn his first senior call-up from Gareth Southgate.
If Jones can somehow manage to play a more prominent role for the Premier League leaders next season, then he might have an outside chance to be selected in the Three Lions squad that will participate in next year’s UEFA European Championship. The teenage sensation can use his mobility to make a few lung-bursting runs with the ball from midfield. For a player so young, he has shown tremendous maturity and good football intelligence whenever he has been given a chance by Klopp this season. Plus, the youngster can also contribute by scoring a few goals going forward, which makes him a fascinating prospect for the future.
Are The Reds Making The Right Call By Not Allowing Jones To Go Out On Loan Next Season?
With all the promise that Jones has showcased during his brief stint with Klopp’s first-team this season, it makes a lot of sense for the club not to allow him to go out on loan this summer. The English whizkid is more than capable of playing a more significant role for the Reds next season especially if both Adam Lallana and Xherdan Shaqiri end up leaving Anfield at the end of this campaign.
The return of Harry Wilson from his fruitful loan spell at Bournemouth could add even more competition for Jones, but that shouldn’t be a problem for him as he is quite confident in his own abilities to leave a lasting impression at Merseyside in the years to come.
