Liverpool Trust Trey Nyoni as Midfield Replacement for Curtis Jones
Liverpool have decided the answer to Curtis Jones’ £30m exit isn’t out in the market. It’s already in their building.
Teenager Trey Nyoni is set to be fast-tracked into Andoni Iraola’s first-team plans this season, with his breakout pre-season convincing the new head coach – and the club’s hierarchy – that they do not need to sign another central midfielder to replace the new Inter Milan man.
Inside Liverpool, Nyoni’s emergence has changed the entire tone of the summer.
From concern to conviction
When it first became clear that Jones could be on his way, Iraola was worried. The Spaniard, just in the door, looked at his midfield numbers and didn’t like what he saw.
“Before pre-season I am told that Andoni Iraola, aware of the Curtis Jones situation, was worried about the depth – one reason he wanted Jones to stay,” TEAMtalk Insider Graeme Bailey explained.
That anxiety pushed Liverpool into action. They ran the rule over some of the biggest names on the market and a string of high-potential youngsters, preparing for the possibility that Jones would go and a replacement would be needed.
Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali were among those discussed. Both have since moved elsewhere, to Arsenal and Tottenham respectively, but they were on Liverpool’s radar during those early weeks of uncertainty.
“Iraola also wanted work done on other options and we can confirm that was the case,” Bailey said. “A host of options were assessed – they looked at the Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes situations, but they were not right for them.”
The club didn’t stop there. Recruitment staff dug deep into the younger end of the market, running detailed checks on Adam Wharton, Alex Scott and Lamine Camara.
“But the likes of Adam Wharton, Alex Scott and Lamine Camara – very good young players – have been assessed and they like what they have seen and heard, but we are talking £50, £60 or even more than £70million in terms of deals.”
The numbers were eye-watering. The fit, not quite perfect. And then pre-season started.
Nyoni rips up the script
The biggest development didn’t come from a transfer call. It came from a teenager grabbing his chance.
Nyoni, already highly thought of inside the academy, used the summer to force his way into the conversation. Performances in front of Iraola and his staff shifted the debate from “who do we buy?” to “do we actually need anyone?”
“Then in comes Nyoni and he has blown Iraola away, they firmly believe he is first-team ready and can compete with the likes of Szoboszlai, Gravenberch and Mac Allister – they really see that as a midfield four and they even have Endo still around,” Bailey revealed.
That is a serious endorsement. At 18, Nyoni is no longer being spoken about as a cup-squad hopeful or a late substitute in dead rubbers. Internally, he is now viewed as a genuine option who can fight for minutes alongside Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, with Wataru Endo offering further depth.
The decision not to bring in a direct Jones replacement is rooted in that belief. Liverpool did their homework on established targets, weighed the cost of those deals, and ultimately decided that trusting Nyoni was both a football and financial call that made sense.
For supporters wondering why the club haven’t unveiled a new midfielder after banking £30m for Jones, the message from inside Anfield is blunt.
“So a lot of Liverpool fans wondering why they are not seeing a new midfielder, even with Jones’ exit, the answer is simple – the club say they don’t need it,” Bailey said.
Market watch and shifting priorities
Liverpool’s stance is strong, but not completely immovable. If an elite opportunity appears, they have shown they can pivot quickly.
Bailey pointed to recent events in defence as a reminder: “I would point out the club said the same about a defender and then moved for Ronald Araujo, but I believe they do think they are in good shape in terms of midfield – because of Nyoni’s progress.”
Right now, though, the picture is clear. Iraola’s midfield core is forming around Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Gravenberch and Nyoni, with Endo backing them up. That clarity has allowed Liverpool to redirect their energy and budget towards other areas of the pitch.
The priority is now out wide. At least one new winger remains on the agenda, while midfield is no longer viewed as a department in need of another major signing.
Nyoni, for his part, is preparing for a season that could change his life. The club expect to hand him meaningful minutes, not just token appearances, and he will be thrown into direct competition with established internationals.
From the outside, Liverpool’s refusal to replace Jones with a marquee name may look like a gamble. Inside the club, it’s something else entirely: a statement that an 18-year-old has convinced a new head coach, and a recruitment team scouring Europe, that he belongs in the heart of their next midfield.
