Curtis Jones: Liverpool’s Most Underrated Star?

By Jimmy Johnson

Last time out, Liverpool picked up a much needed win at Anfield as they overcame Unai Emery’s Aston Villa - however, it wasn’t as comfortable as it could’ve been. 

The Reds struggled to hold onto the ball at times, conceding possession unnecessarily. This may not have happened, however, if they had their best passer in the team - Curtis Jones. 

Some may initially scoff at this claim. It’s understandable, with superstars such as Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szobszlai in the team - both of whom are phenomenal passers of the ball. Regardless, in this case, the stats don’t lie. 

Jones has a passing completion rate of 92% in the Premier League, giving him the strongest percentage of any midfielder in the division in this regard. His ability to keep the ball is extremely overlooked, especially in the modern game, where conceding possession in disadvantageous positions can be the difference between winning and losing. 

Curtis Jones’ evolution at Liverpool

Many saw a burgeoning winger in Jones, but he slowly began to occupy deeper positions as Jurgen Klopp began to identify his hidden talents. He can still function as a winger, but his most suitable role is that of a box-to-box midfielder. 

He isn’t the most creative of players, preferring to lay off simple balls to more dynamic midfielders. This is evidenced in his passing stats from this season - he has completed 240 short passes in 2025/26, but only 17 long balls.   

Despite this, he will look to play the ball forward when he can. During the limited minutes he has been afforded this season, Jones has completed 46 progressive passes, which puts him 22nd in the overall table of progressive passes played [via FBref]. 

Jones can be credited with holding Liverpool’s midfield together whenever he is on the pitch. You won’t see him scoring or creating many goals - he has a total of zero to his name so far this season - but you will see him doing a lot of the dirty work in Liverpool’s engine room. 

What does the future hold for Curtis Jones?

As things stand, Curtis Jones has just over a year and half remaining on his current contract at Liverpool. There were talks of a new deal for the 24-year-old back in September, but nothing has materialised as of yet. 

This could, of course, just be the result of contractual inertia between the two parties. It isn’t necessarily a bad sign, but it is something that Arne Slot should be looking to conclude sooner, rather than later. 

But, when the strength of his competition is taken into consideration, how many opportunities will Jones be given in the first team? It’s hard to say - he has rarely featured in the first team in the Premier League this season. 

Jones’ weakness is his lack of goal contributions, something his Liverpool peers have no issues with. Additionally, the Reds have been no strangers to big spending as of late. If they decide to sign another central midfielder, his minutes would be limited further still.

The next few months will decide the England international’s fate. It would be a shame to see such a promising home-grown talent leave the club - especially one who perhaps isn’t appreciated as he should be.