Jamie Carragher has revealed on Sky Sports that Steven Gerrard told him Liverpool rookie Curtis Jones is a special talent.
The pundit and Anfield legend explained that Rangers boss Gerrard made him aware of the 17-year-old attacking midfielder when he managed Liverpool’s youth team last season.
Carragher explained that Jones has the “football arrogance” to make it at first-team level at the Merseyside giants and made a huge impression during pre-season.
“He’s an attacking midfield player who as soon as Steven Gerrard went down to the academy to manage, he was speaking to me about this player saying, ‘he has got a chance for the first-team’,” said Carragher on Sky Sports’ live coverage of Liverpool’s League Cup clash against Chelsea (Wednesday September 26, 7.23pm).
“What he meant by that is that he (Jones) has a chance of dipping his toe in and it’s up to him, some people take to it, some people don’t.
“He’ll get opportunities under Jurgen Klopp as he is still very young, he’s got what I would call football arrogance when you see him play he’s got something about him, he stands out.
“You watch him at the level he has played at, will he take that to the first-team? Who knows but certainly in pre-season he really impressed, I think Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool supporters know he has that football arrogance.
“It’s whether some can take to senior football but certainly going off pre-season, Curtis takes to it like a duck to water.”
OPINION
Jones was an unused substitute at Anfield last night as Liverpool crashed out of the League Cup following a late Eden Hazard wonder goal. But the rookie would have benefitted a lot from being on the bench for such a high profile fixture and mixing with the first-team stars for a big-pressure clash. Klopp has spoken of the immense potential of Jones, but warned he has a long way to go if he is to live up to it. Supporters are already well aware of his talent and many have spoken excitedly about what he can do in the years to come. Unlike Chelsea, Liverpool have a real pathway from the youth to the senior team, and Klopp is not afraid to blood youngsters and give them extended opportunities. Jones needs only to look at the immense progress made by Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez over the last two seasons to see that. Can he follow in their footsteps? Gerrard and Carragher know their onions, and what it takes, too. Supporters should be excited that they are excited.