It feels as though a top Liverpool star is now being forced out of Anfield. And that's crazy.
The Times reports that Liverpool have not made any progress on a new contract for Curtis Jones. The Scouser’s contract expires in 2027, meaning he’s about to enter the final year – a prime time for selling a player.
And Jones has certainly been linked with a move away. Inter tried to get him in January, while Tottenham Hotspur weighed up a move before signing Conor Gallagher.
There's plenty of interest, then, and Liverpool's lack of movement on a new deal certainly points towards a sale. And that is absolute madness.
For one, Jones wants to renew. He's a boyhood Red who wishes to play his career at Liverpool. But he's also a standout player.
The Times' article outlines many of the things he does well: "Second only to Rodri among midfielders for passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season.
"Add to that, he is also ranked second behind Moisés Caicedo for passing accuracy, and second to Rayan Cherki for the number of carries, among those who have performed for at least 1,000 minutes in their club’s engine room."
And Jones is largely the standout midfielder. What he brings in the middle is unlike anything the rest of the team can offer.
Arne Slot's words that Jones has played more minutes this season than in any other first-team campaign is missing the point, quite honestly. The midfielder has always deserved more than he gets.
The fact is, Jones has fewer Premier League starts this season than he managed last time out. And the gap would be even greater if he hadn't been filling in at right-back.
Jones actually has the same number of starts as he managed in an injury-hit final campaign under Jurgen Klopp, in fact. Again, he'd be on-track for fewer if not for injuries at right-back.
There is no obvious reason why Jones doesn't play more. Especially when there's a very strong argument that he’s outperformed both Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister this season.
Liverpool's struggles really should have brought about more opportunities in the middle at a time when the team needed new ideas. But as we say, it's actually brought Jones fewer starts.
So it's easy to feel like Jones is being forced out here. There's not really anymore he can do to get starts in midfield, while the team could hardly be doing less to prevent a need to shake things up.
Regardless, Slot doesn't appear to trust Jones as a regular starter in midfield. And that may well mean the homegrown, boyhood Red ends up at a rival.
Curtis Jones: Situation Summary
Liverpool Performance and Stats
As of 28 April 2026, Curtis Jones remains a valuable squad player under Arne Slot, having made 44 appearances across all competitions. The 25-year-old midfielder has logged 2,492 minutes, contributing two goals and two assists. Recently, he has been deployed in an unconventional right-back role to cover for the absent Trent Alexander-Arnold. He delivered a man-of-the-match performance in the Merseyside derby win over Everton and most recently played 87 minutes in a 3–1 victory against Crystal Palace on 25 April. Despite his versatility and an impressive 90.78% passing accuracy in the Champions League, he has struggled to secure a permanent starting spot, with only 13 Premier League starts this term.
Transfer Speculation and Contract Status
Jones is approaching a significant crossroads as he enters the final 14 months of his contract. Reports from 28 April indicate that renewal talks are currently on "total standby," leading to intense speculation regarding a summer exit. Aston Villa are reportedly monitoring his situation, while Tottenham and Inter Milan remain historical suitors. Liverpool are said to be open to offers below his market value to avoid losing him for free in 2027.
International Standing
