Liverpool are already proving to have two wonderkids in their squad this season who continue to show their value. The pair prove a reported £54m decision was correct.
Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott are the stories at Liverpool this season. Well, that and Mohamed Salah being continuously brilliant.
But both Jones and Elliott have shown this season that they’re not just great future prospects – they’re ready to contribute right now (unless they get injured, of course).
Elliott was a surprise inclusion in early starting XIs this season. He played regularly and looked wonderful in an advanced centre-midfield role.
His injury – along with those to Naby Keita and Thiago – opened the door for Jones, however. He didn’t hesitate to take his chance and completed a remarkable week on Tuesday with a Man of the Match display against Porto.
The two of them hold unique spots in the squad, too. Both Jones and Elliott are attack-first midfielders, constantly looking to connect with the Reds’ attacking trio and move the ball forward.
That’s a departure from the more box-to-box, supporting roles that Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum played to perfection as Liverpool won trophies. Liverpool now have young midfielders who make things happen, rather than hold things together.
But there’s been a demand for such players. Go back to 2020 and you’ll see reports linking Liverpool with Kai Havertz, for instance. The club decided not to pursue that one, though.
Later that year, the Mirror reported that Houssem Aouar was a priority target, however. Liverpool apparently scouted him for four years, with a late-in-the-window price settling at around £54m, per the Telegraph.
Again, though, Liverpool said no. They passed on signing a more established player and put faith in their youngsters. What a great decision that was.
It meant there is room in the squad for players like Elliott and Jones to flourish. They’ve got their own niche within the setup that wouldn’t be there if Liverpool had spent £54m on Aouar.
And as the Frenchman stutters and Liverpool’s wonderkids show their value, the decision looks remarkable. The Reds are on to something special with these two stars.