Nottingham Forest urged to sign Liverpool star this summer | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest Eye Curtis Jones as Elliot Anderson Replacement

Nottingham Forest have banked a huge fee for Elliot Anderson and now face the hardest part, spending it wisely. According to talkSPORT, former Forest man James Perch believes Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones is the obvious candidate to help fill the gap left by Anderson’s departure, and there is logic to that view.

Forest sold Anderson to Manchester City for £116m, a staggering return on the £35m they paid Newcastle two years ago. Financially, it is outstanding business. On the pitch, it leaves a serious problem. Anderson gave Forest control, energy, quality in possession and the sort of reliability that allowed the midfield to function. Players like that are expensive because replacing all those traits with one signing is rare.

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Perch’s argument is clear enough. “To try and replace Elliot Anderson and what he does is going to be very hard,” he told the Weekend Sports Breakfast. “I say it’s going to probably take two players to cover what he does because he does so much for Forest in that midfield. But the obvious one I think would be Curtis Jones.

“I think he’s proven. He’s an England international. So you’re not taking a gamble on him and hoping he hits the ground running. Hopefully with his experience and all the games he’s played for Liverpool, he will just walk straight into the team and almost kick on from where Elliot Anderson left off.

“I don’t think he’s as good as Elliot Anderson, but I think he’s a replacement where you can’t go wrong with him.”

Curtis Jones Transfer Case Makes Sense for Forest

That assessment is blunt and, broadly, accurate. Jones is not a like-for-like copy of Anderson, and pretending otherwise would be lazy. Anderson played with a level of drive and all-action intensity that made him central to Forest’s identity. Jones brings something slightly different. He is calmer in possession, tidy under pressure and experienced at operating in high-level games. He has also reached the point in his career where regular starts matter more than potential alone.

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Liverpool reportedly value Jones at around £40m, even with only one year left on his contract. On the surface, that looks steep. In this market, for an England international developed at a top club, it is hardly outrageous. The bigger question is whether Forest should commit a large chunk of the Anderson money to one midfielder when Perch’s wider point may be the more important one, they probably need two players.

Liverpool Midfielder Availability Could Open Door

Jones has slipped behind Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai in the midfield pecking order at Liverpool. With Andoni Iraola now in charge following Arne Slot’s departure on 30 May 2026, there may be tactical changes, but squad realities remain. If Jones sees limited starts ahead, a move becomes easier to understand.

Inter Milan have also been credited with interest, which tells you plenty. Clubs at that level do not chase players out of charity. They chase footballers who can help them. Jones fits that category. He is proven in the Premier League, has international pedigree and would not need an adaptation period to the English game.

Forest Recruitment Must Avoid Easy Mistakes

The danger for Forest is obvious. Selling a key player for £116m can create a false sense of security. Smart transfer windows are not won by simply buying the most recognisable replacement. They are won by rebuilding structure. If Forest spend £40m on Jones and stop there, the midfield still risks losing too much athleticism and volume. If they pair him with another runner, ball-winner or progressive passer, the squad starts to make more sense.

Jones looks like a sensible target, not a miracle cure. That is probably the right way to frame it. Forest are not replacing Anderson with one perfect clone because those players are scarce and usually unavailable. What they can do is sign a midfielder with quality, Premier League know-how and enough technical security to keep the level from falling off a cliff.

If the fee stays around £40m, Forest have a decision to make. It is a fair price for a good player. It only becomes the right deal if it is part of a bigger plan.

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Our View

From a Nottingham Forest perspective, this is the sort of report that immediately splits opinion. On one hand, Curtis Jones feels like a credible name. He has played at a high level, he knows the Premier League and he would arrive without the uncertainty attached to some overseas signing who needs six months to settle. There is obvious appeal in that.

At the same time, Forest supporters will know exactly what has been lost with Anderson. He gave the midfield legs, personality and consistency. You do not replace that by buying a neat footballer and hoping the shape of the side stays the same. It will not. Jones could improve parts of the team, particularly in possession, but he would need help around him.

The encouraging part of this report is that it points towards Forest targeting players with pedigree rather than gambling for the sake of it. The caution is simple, this cannot be the whole answer. If £116m has come in, the recruitment team has to treat this as an opportunity to build a stronger midfield unit, not just swap one name for another.

Forest fans would probably welcome Jones, but they would also want another midfielder alongside him, someone with energy and bite. If that happens, this starts to look like proper planning rather than reactive spending.