Liverpool urged against selling squad player who is crucial to club’s identity

Liverpool have been told they must keep Curtis Jones at the club next season because of his connections to the city.

The Inside Liverpool panel believe the Reds should always have one local lad in the team.

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Jones is a player who isn’t guaranteed to start the majority of games, but turned in a very good display at right-back in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over inner-city rivals Everton on Sunday.

Virgil van Dijk scored a last-minute winner as the Reds beat the Toffees at Hill Dickinson Stadium to put themselves in a great position to qualify for the Champions League, while also claiming bragging rights for another year.

However, reports have suggested that Jones could be one of several Liverpool players on the move this summer.

Former professional boxer and massive Reds fan Paul Smith thinks a Scouser should always be in the Liverpool team.

On the latest episode of Inside Liverpool, he said: “He will have to up his game, and he would argue you need continuity to up your game, and that goes for every sport.

“If you are not competing regularly, you are not going to reach your full potential.

“Mac Allister has proven quality, he just hasn’t been at it this year, along with several other players, he has been quite poor.

“I was standing next to a bloke before the game, and he said there had been a big fallout between Mac Allister and Slot, and Mac Allister has looked angry the last few games I’ve seen him.

“And he’s not been at his best lately. Jones is the local lad, and we need a Scouser in the team all the time, in my opinion.

“Definitely in the squad to keep that identity of what it means, and the players who have been there for a few years get it now, and they understand what it means for local fans.

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“For Liverpool, it is always good to have a local lad in the team.”

The conversation started with host Sam Ellard praising Jones’ display.

He said: “I just wanted to pick up on Curtis Jones, as well as completing the most passes and having the best passing accuracy, he also made the most recoveries and won possession nine times in the Everton defensive third.

“I really rate Curtis Jones as a player. I have a little bit of sympathy for him because it’s not just under Arne Slot, but even under previous Liverpool managers, he has never really been a mainstay in the team, has he?

“I look at him, and he’s got so much ability, but he’s never been able to kick on and reach the most of his potential. But when you are a player who starts one in every four or five, it must be really hard to do that.

“How do you see him developing as a player? Can you see him ever being a guaranteed lock in the starting XI or is he better being a squad player?”

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Pennant responded: “It’s clear to see that he’s got ability, and it’s no secret that in the derby, the only Scouser in the team was Curtis.

“He knows this derby and was probably Man of the Match for me. He played amazing at right-back.

“He was composed on the ball. I thought he was fantastic, and he’s got that ability.

“I just think sometimes you just need continuity to get into a regular rhythm to get your confidence up.

“Sometimes, chopping and changing positions and coming in and out of the team is hard, and he gets judged week in, week out.

“For some reason, he doesn’t get the same chances that the others get. Mac Allister has been way off it, but Slot is still playing him ahead of Jones.

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“I would like to see him there next season because he can do a job all over the pitch.”

Future unclear

Despite the Inside Liverpool panel being unanimous on their view that Jones should stay, the reality is a bit different.

The 25-year-old will have just one year left on his contract in the summer, and though he’s played a lot of games this season, not many of them have been starts, with just 13 starts in the Premier League.

And there are reports that suggest the former England international is unhappy, so with Liverpool looking to re-energise their squad, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Jones is in the final weeks of his time at Liverpool that started in the academy.