- 20 hours ago
‘Outstanding’ Liverpool star will make Slot think twice about Zubimendi – Carragher
Robin Bairner
- 21 Oct 2024 11:30 BST
- 4 min read
Curtis Jones’ performance for Liverpool against Chelsea shows that the Reds don’t need to revisit Real Sociedad for Martin Zubimendi in the January transfer window, according to Anfield legend Jamie Carragher.
Jones got the winning goal for Liverpool in a 2-1 success over the Blues that sent Arne Slot’s side two points clear at the top of the Premier League table, and Carragher says that the homegrown talent will save the Merseyside club millions.
Scoring 8.0 at FootballCritic, the 23-year-old was outstanding on just his second start of the season and proved that Slot’s side have both strength and depth in the middle of the park.
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"Curtis Jones was brilliant, he was outstanding," Carragher told Sky Sports. "He's still at that stage where he doesn't know for certain if he is first choice, when you have got [Ryan] Gravenberch and [Alexis] Mac Allister.
"I wonder if Arne Slot is going to go back in for Zubimendi in January, but when you see how he played today you think 'no'. He has to now do it on a consistent basis."
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Compared
Curtis Jones
M (C)
Liverpool
Curtis Jones
M (C)
Liverpool
VS
Martín Zubimendi
DM, M (C)
Real Sociedad
Martín Zubimendi
DM, M (C)
Real Sociedad
|
|
ETV |
|
| €14.3M - €23.8M | ETV Range | €25.8M - €43M |
| 23 years old (30 Jan, 2001) | Age | 25 years old (02 Feb, 1999) |
|
England
|
Nationality |
Spain
|
Zubimendi explains Liverpool decision
Zubimendi snubbed the opportunity to move to Liverpool in the summer, instead choosing to remain with his boyhood club Real Sociedad.
It’s not been easy going in the Basque country for the Euro 2024 winner, however. With La Real having lost several key players in the summer, including fellow central midfield star Mikel Merino to Arsenal, they find themselves only 11th in LaLiga.
The 25-year-old, who has a release clause worth just €60 million, has gone public on why he rejected Liverpool – and says he doesn’t regret it.
“Of course I don’t regret it, I can’t think that way after four or five games at the start of the season. I made my decision from within, I thought it was the best thing to do, the results don’t affect me. I see potential in this team, you just have to watch us train. I’m excited about having a good season.
“In the end, like in every transfer window, things always come up. This summer it was my turn. These are things that happen and you have to deal with them in the best way possible.
“It is true that I was a bit uncomfortable with everything, especially the noise, but in the end, I isolated myself and made the decision that I thought was the right one.”
With Zubimendi apparently happy at Real Sociedad, Liverpool can content themselves in the knowledge that Jones has developed into a more-than-adequate alternative.
