Five Potential Replacements for Curtis Jones at Liverpool

Liverpool are yet to add to their roster since Andoni Iraola admitted the club “needs more players” last month, and Curtis Jones’s potential exit makes signing new faces all the more urgent.

The Reds are already working on the blockbuster signing of Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola. Mitigating Mohamed Salah’s departure is the current priority, even if Barcola’s best work in Paris often came down the left flank.

Despite their record-breaking splurge last summer, Liverpool’s roster requires serious surgery even if the PSG star makes the move to Merseyside. The 4–2 defeat to Leeds United in Chicago highlighted their lack of defensive depth, and they also risk selling themselves short in midfield if Curtis Jones eventually joins Inter Milan.

The Nerazzurri are continuing to work on a deal to sign the Scouse midfielder, who appeared 34 times in the Premier League last season. While the majority of supporters don’t regard Jones’s potential exit as a major reason to panic, Iraola’s options for the engine room would look desperately thin without him.

So, there’s certainly scope for Liverpool to add to their shopping list before the summer window closes. Here are five players who could replace Jones at Anfield.

Alex Scott

While Alex Scott has rejected a contract extension on the south coast, Bournemouth remain adamant that he’s not for sale this summer.

Scott entered the offseason off the back of a breakout campaign and has caught the eye of the Premier League’s elite. Liverpool are among those believed to hold an interest in the dynamic English midfielder, who looks set to become a staple of the national team in short order.

Scott is a do-it-all midfielder who combines silky ball-carrying with great tenacity out of possession. New Liverpool boss Iraola got the best out of him at the Vitality Stadium, and joining his old boss at Anfield would surely appeal to the 22-year-old.

He seems like a savvy investment, no matter the fee, but the Cherries are likely to be stubborn. They don’t want to lose any of their key assets heading into a campaign featuring Europa League soccer for the first time.

Kaishū Sano

For those without an intimate knowledge of the Bundesliga, Kaishū Sano entered our stream of consciousness for the first time at the World Cup. The Mainz midfielder played three times for Japan at the tournament, scoring the opening goal in its 2–1 defeat to Brazil in the round of 32.

Sano, who fought off sexual assault charges in 2024, subsequently joined Mainz and immediately helped them achieve a sixth-place finish in the Bundesliga. The added toll of Conference League soccer meant they dropped to 10th last season, but Sano entered the World Cup in excellent form.

The Japanese international is a holding midfield player who’s utterly relentless without the ball. Think of him as a younger and improved Wataru Endō, who remains on Liverpool’s books.

Iraola’s midfield requires greater positional discipline, and while Sano shouldn’t be restricted to holding down the fort at the base of midfield, the 25-year-old would improve Liverpool defensively as a result of his standout attributes out of possession. He’s a great fit for Iraola’s high-octane pressing system.

Sano’s durable, too. He’s started every Bundesliga game for Mainz since joining the club two summers ago.

Chema Andrés

Liverpool won’t be signing Rodri this summer, so how about Rodri lite?

Chema Andrés, 21, developed his game at Real Madrid but moved to Stuttgart last year in search of greater first-team opportunities. He certainly earned those, appearing 39 times across all competitions last season.

Standing at 6’3”, the physical likeness to Rodri is uncanny. Chema has an upright and imposing frame, also tucking his shirt in like so few do nowadays.

There are details for Chema to iron out, but the early signs suggest he could succeed Sergio Busquets and Rodri as Spain’s next great holding midfielder. He operates so efficiently in possession, often requiring just one or two touches to outwit opposing presses.

Sign him now, and watch him emerge as a superstar in a couple of years.

Manu Koné

Didier Deschamps made the mistake of dropping Manu Koné from France‘s starting lineup for its World Cup semifinal against Spain after the Roma midfielder starred in the quarterfinal win over Morocco.

Deschamps pivoted to Koné at halftime, but by that point, it was too late.

The Frenchman showed his worth in North America this summer, and it’s a surprise there hasn’t been more transfer buzz surrounding the 25-year-old. Perhaps it’s his injury history.

Still, there have been tenuous links to Manchester United, and Liverpool should throw their hat in the ring if they need to replace Jones.

Koné is a clean, efficient passer who seldom gets ruffled under pressure. He’s an asset in the build-up phase and is a gritty defender who reads the game really well. The Roma man is being somewhat undervalued, with his next club poised to boast a hungry, talented midfielder entering his prime.

Trey Nyoni

Jones’s departure would change things, but for now, signing a midfielder isn’t a priority. If Inter continue to hesitate, Liverpool may not have the time to acquire a replacement. The club will also be dedicating much of its summer kitty to the Barcola deal.

So, Liverpool may promote from within.

Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai look like the opening weekend starters, especially after Alexis Mac Allister’s hair transplant raises questions over his ability to head the ball. Therefore, Trey Nyoni is making his way up the depth chart.

The 19-year-old has been one of the stars of Liverpool’s preseason so far, and looks ready to step up. The teenager has featured sporadically for the first team since making his debut in Feb. 2024, appearing for the first time in the Premier League last December.

Iraola has waxed lyrical about Nyoni’s “confidence” in possession, and he‘s so far performed with the assurance of a veteran in preseason. Nyoni can be metronomic, but is also capable of snapping passes through defensive lines. He looks like the real deal, and potentially ready to be the fourth option in Liverpool’s midfield engine room.

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