Arsenal are lining up a summer bid for Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, according to reports.
AFCamden on X, who claims to have inside sources at the Gunners, says that manager Mikel Arteta is a big fan of the 22-year-old and an approach could be made ahead of next season:
If all goes to plan this season, I think we’ll try to sign Curtis Jones for that 8 role next season. Depends on how he progresses/game time he gets up there but Mikel deffo wants him
— AFCAMDEN (@AFCAMDEN) January 2, 2024
Understandably, these reports have been met with incredulity among Liverpool fans on X, who think it is very unlikely that Jurgen Klopp would sanction the sale of an academy player to a direct rival:
No chance
— FEROH (@feroh_254) January 3, 2024
Let them take Thiago.
— Wietrzuu (@BartexHd) January 2, 2024
Exactly.. What they are smoking? 😂🤦♂️
— Marco Gasperi (@MarcoGiuseppeG5) January 3, 2024
Jokers
— Classy_brave (@ClassyBrave) January 2, 2024
Hands off. He’s not for sale🫸🏽
— GraeveGast (@Maxlfc9) January 3, 2024
Unless, of course, if they bid £40m + £1 then we have to consider… 🤣🤣🤣
— Redmen Ernie (@ErnestYap9) January 3, 2024
150 mil + Saka + Saliba + Rice and Arteta to join Liverpool as our U18’s manager
— SzoboszlaisSchlong (@SzoboSchlong) January 2, 2024
Hilarious
— Raws (@Raws_FUT) January 2, 2024
Liverpool’s homegrown quota
Even if Klopp doesn’t see Jones as a regular starter going forward, there is still an important reason why the Reds wouldn’t approve his sale.
After losing the likes of Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain last summer, the club are now struggling to fill the quota for homegrown players. 8 out of the 25-man Premier League squad must be players trained by English clubs. It means that even if Jones were made available for transfer, Liverpool would demand a sizeable fee to ensure that they could find a suitable replacement.
Watch a preview of Liverpool’s plans for the January transfer window on Shots!TV here
