David Lynch: Liverpool star was ‘100% gone’ before potential u-turn | OneFootball

Curtis Jones transfer latest as Andoni Iraola reshapes Liverpool plans

Curtis Jones appeared to be heading towards the Liverpool exit earlier in the summer, yet the picture now looks far less settled. A managerial change, a public show of faith and a fresh pre-season conversation have all combined to reopen a situation that once seemed close to resolution.

According to David Lynch on Redmen TV, there has been a notable shift in the mood around the midfielder. His assessment was clear: “I think there’s a key few weeks coming up here in terms of what he decides. If you’d have asked me at the start of the window, I’d have said Curtis Jones is 100% gone. The change of manager maybe switched things for him.”

That is the central point in this developing Liverpool transfer story. Jones has entered the final year of his deal, Inter Milan have already seen two offers turned away, and the club must now determine whether a renewal is realistic or whether a sale remains the more practical outcome. In many summers, a contract position like this would create an obvious direction of travel. This case feels more nuanced.

Andoni Iraola stance changes Curtis Jones outlook

Andoni Iraola has wasted little time in making his feelings known. In public, he has been warm in his praise of Jones and open about wanting to keep him beyond this season. That matters. New head coaches often reassess players who looked likely to move on under a previous regime, and Jones may be one of the clearest early examples of that at Liverpool.

The same source explained: “The fact that [Iraola] has said that publicly, it seems like he’s gonna at least have a try at selling a role to him. I wouldn’t take it off the table, Curtis leaving. It’s a really important period now. With Alexis [Mac Allister] as well, after the World Cup we’ll see what happens.”

Those remarks underline a wider issue inside the squad. Iraola has inherited a group that needs careful management in terms of depth, balance and leadership. If Liverpool are not in a position to replace outgoing players quickly, retaining someone with Jones’ versatility and homegrown status becomes even more significant.

Liverpool transfer strategy hinges on role and pathway

For Jones, the calculation is understandable. Across the last two Premier League seasons he has often been involved without being an automatic starter. At 25, this is a stage of his career when regular football carries major weight. Liverpool can promise elite competition, but they must also present a convincing pathway to starts, responsibility and progression.

That is where the next few weeks become decisive. Pre-season offers Iraola the chance to define roles, test midfield combinations and explain precisely where Jones fits. If that message lands, Liverpool may yet turn a likely departure into a contract breakthrough. If not, rival interest is unlikely to disappear.

There was another important line in the same discussion: “There’s real potential for both of them to go but also potential for the manager to say, ‘I desperately need to keep you both’. It’s a really interesting storyline in pre-season, and if anybody gets out an interview with Curtis during pre-season, I’d be really interested to hear what he has to say.”

Curtis Jones future remains open before key Liverpool decision

Internally, this now looks like a live issue rather than a foregone conclusion. Liverpool have already shown their valuation by rejecting Inter’s approaches. Iraola has shown his preference by speaking so positively. The missing piece is Jones himself, and whether he believes this new chapter at Anfield offers enough.

For now, the Curtis Jones future sits in that familiar transfer territory between interest and decision, where timing, dialogue and trust can change everything. Liverpool have been given an unexpected opportunity to keep a player who once looked certain to leave. What they do with it may say plenty about Iraola’s early influence and the direction of this squad rebuild.

Our View

From a Liverpool supporter’s perspective, this feels like one worth fighting for. Jones is not a fringe academy graduate making up the numbers, he is a local player with real quality, strong technical ability and the kind of connection to the club that supporters always value. In a period where the squad has already lost major personalities, keeping players who understand the standards and meaning of Liverpool matters.

There is also a football argument. Jones can carry the ball, keep possession in tight areas and play more than one midfield role. He may not have nailed down a permanent starting place yet, but he has shown enough to suggest there is still another level there if a coach truly commits to him. If Iraola believes he can unlock that, then Liverpool should back that judgement.

At the same time, fans will understand the player’s side. At 25, nobody wants another season of uncertainty and sporadic starts. So the club need to be honest and decisive. Offer him a genuine role, not warm words. If that happens, many supporters would love to see Jones stay, sign on and become part of the next Liverpool cycle. If it does not, then at least everyone will know where they stand before the window closes.

Source: David Lynch on Redmen TV