LIVERPOOL WARNED TO OFFER CURTIS JONES NEW CONTRACT BEFORE 14-MONTH DEADLINE
Analysis: Curtis Jones’ elite passing stats and why Jermaine Pennant believes Liverpool cannot afford to lose the versatile midfielder.
Liverpool really needs to sort out a new contract for Curtis Jones before they make the same mistake it did with Luis Diaz. That’s what the Inside Liverpool panel thinks, especially now that Diaz is lighting up Bayern Munich and making Liverpool’s transfer moves look pretty questionable.
Bayern’s front three, with Diaz in the mix, have racked up 100 goals across all competitions this season – the first time any non-Spanish team has done that. Diaz himself has bagged 26 goals in 46 matches and just scored against PSG in the Champions League semi-final.
Looking back, Liverpool probably wish they hadn’t let Diaz walk for £65 million last summer. Since then, fans at Anfield haven’t seen anyone who brings what he did: that relentless pressing, always looming as a threat on the counter. Sure, they’ve brought in Rio Ngumoha, a teenager, just 17, but Arne Slot, the coach, knows you can’t just expect him to fill those shoes right away.
On talkSPORT’s Inside Liverpool, Jermaine Pennant, who has played for the club, said that Liverpool has to bring in another proven attacker over the summer. Pennant’s point: Diaz was great whether he played in the middle or on the left, and Liverpool needs someone with that kind of flexibility. You don’t want to sign a backup like Hugo Ekitike and then end up overcrowding with too many strikers when the main guy returns.
Now, Jones could end up in the same boat this summer. There’s a lot of uncertainty around his future, and when you look at the numbers, he’s only got 14 months left on his contract. Several clubs in England and Europe are watching, and he’s only started 15 games for Liverpool this season.
Even though he hasn’t played much, Jones is impressing; he’s second only to Rodri in midfielder passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He’s also ranked second behind Moises Caicedo for passing accuracy, and right behind Rayan Cherki for carries. Pennant said the club can’t afford to let him go: Jones is so versatile; you can play him anywhere in midfield or even right back. He knows the club, loves it, and helps connect the squad.
Jones has been one of the top performers recently. Pennant thinks Liverpool should offer him a new deal, especially since the squad is thinning out and they’ve already lost Trent Alexander-Arnold. In the end, it’s up to Jones if he wants to stay or move for more game time, but Liverpool has to make the offer while they still can.
VIRGIL VAN DIJK SLAMS LIVERPOOL’S SEASON, INSISTING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFICATION IS NOT ENOUGH
Liverpool chase Champions League football, but Virgil van Dijk insists qualification is not success. We track the upcoming summer rebuild.
Liverpool caught a bit of luck over the weekend with their hopes for Champions League football, but Virgil van Dijk made it clear he doesn’t think qualifying should be the measure of their success.
Everyone at the club knows how crucial it is to get back into Europe’s top competition. It’s not just about pride. Missing out means less money, which would hurt their plans in the summer.
Finishing in the top five might look good after a disappointing season, especially since they were defending Premier League champions, but Van Dijk doesn’t believe that’s enough. He said the team can’t settle for just scraping into the Champions League.
“We’ve got five more games, and we have to get Champions League qualification done,” Van Dijk said. “But honestly, that’s not the standard I expect at Liverpool. Qualifying isn’t enough.”
Their win over Everton in the Merseyside derby snapped a rotten streak of four losses out of five, including getting knocked out of the FA Cup and Champions League. At one point, it felt like the whole season was going downhill fast.
Now, Crystal Palace are coming up on Saturday. Palace is focused on their UEFA Conference League semi-final, so this is a big chance for Liverpool, especially with Manchester United away the following week.
Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah scored at Everton, but things are changing. Van Dijk turns 35 in July and is about to start his last year on contract. Salah and Andy Robertson are leaving in the summer. That’s a lot of experience walking out the door.
The club will have to find replacements from the current squad. A new vice-captain is named over the summer. Van Dijk wouldn’t reveal his pick but said, “I definitely have my opinion, and I always share it.”
He called for players to step up. “You grow into that role, or you already have it in you. It’s time for players to show it next season.”
He added, “After the World Cup, during pre-season, the manager will decide. We just need to get this right and make sure we don’t have a repeat of this season.”
When asked about whether the squad needs a reset, Van Dijk said, “You’d have to ask the guys higher up. Leadership is falling away as players leave, so others have to step up and see what the decision-makers plan to do. I’m confident everyone wants the club to stay competitive. We just can’t have another season like this one.”
IBRAHIMA KONATé NEARS OFFICIAL LONG-TERM CONTRACT EXTENSION, SECURING FUTURE AT LIVERPOOL
Ibrahima Konaté confirms he is close to signing a new Liverpool contract, securing his future amid a major squad overhaul.
Ibrahima Konaté is set to sign a new long-term deal with Liverpool, finally putting all the rumours about his future to rest.
His contract was up this summer, and people kept linking him to clubs like Real Madrid. But after Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Everton on Sunday, Konate made it clear he never planned to leave. He’s become a regular since joining from RB Leipzig, and he told reporters negotiations with the club have been going on for a while. Now, the agreement’s almost done.
“We’ve been talking with the club for a long time,” Konate said, according to the Liverpool Echo. “We’re close. Honestly, I think everyone wanted this, and we’re nearly there. There’s a good chance I’ll be here next season; that’s what I always wanted.”
He’s just waiting for the paperwork to go through, but once it’s official, he’s sure sporting director Richard Hughes will be happy to share what Konate told him months ago.
“It’s taken a while, yeah, but that’s how negotiations go,” he added. “Just like with Van Dijk and Mo Salah last season, they signed in April. Maybe this is just how the club handles these things.”
Liverpool is set for a big summer change. Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson are both expected to leave after nearly a decade, and van Dijk is now in the last year of his contract as he approaches 35. Naturally, there's a lot of talk about who steps up as leader in the dressing room next.
The club has already lined up some fresh faces. Jeremy Jacquet, the £60 million centre-back from Rennes, is on his way, and promising defender Giovanni Leoni is working his way back from an ACL injury he picked up last September.
Konate turns 27 next month, and he’s ready to step up and help lead the club into a new era. “I already act as a leader for the younger guys, for my own generation, everyone, really,” he said. “That’s just part of football. The legends move on, and then it’s our turn. I’ve been preparing for this for years, and especially over the last few months.”
“It’s a big responsibility, though. I can’t do it all alone. I’ll need everyone’s help.”
He also mentioned once more that he hopes people go and hear Richard Hughes’s side of the contract talks, saying, “Just wait till it’s all sorted, then ask him what I told him months ago before all the noise started.”
It’s been a tough season for Konate. Liverpool’s form has been erratic; they’ve lost 17 games in all competitions, including 10 in the league. Off the field, things have been even harder; Konate lost his father in January. He admits the last few months have been rough both personally and on the pitch. Still, he’s keeping positive and looking forward to what’s next, for himself and for Liverpool.
Must Read
