Liverpool Promotes Trey Nyoni as Curtis Jones Replacement
Liverpool have decided the answer to Curtis Jones’ £30m exit is already in their own dressing room – and not named Bruno Guimaraes or Sandro Tonali.
Teenage midfielder Trey Nyoni is being fast-tracked into the first-team picture this season, with his eye-catching pre-season convincing new head coach Andoni Iraola that the club do not need to dip back into the market for another central midfielder, TEAMtalk understands.
From concern to conviction
When it became clear Jones was likely to leave for Inter Milan, Iraola’s first reaction was worry. Depth in midfield looked thin. He wanted Jones to stay and, failing that, wanted Liverpool to seriously explore alternatives.
“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 said.
That concern triggered a wide-ranging search. Liverpool looked hard at several options, including high-profile names. Guimaraes, now at Arsenal, and Tonali, who joined Tottenham this summer, both came under consideration as the club weighed up how best to plug the gap.
Bailey explained: “Iraola also wanted work done on other options and we can confirm that was the case.
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 recruitment team also drilled down on younger, high-upside targets. Adam Wharton, Alex Scott and Lamine Camara were all closely monitored and well regarded inside the club.
“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,” Bailey added.
The numbers were heavy. The fit wasn’t perfect. And then pre-season started.
Nyoni changes everything
Nyoni, already seen as one of the brightest prospects in the academy, seized his moment. Across the summer he didn’t just look comfortable; he shifted the internal debate about whether Liverpool even needed another senior midfielder.
Bailey summed up the impact: “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.”
That is a huge endorsement for an 18-year-old. Inside the club, Nyoni is no longer filed under “one for the future” or “occasional cup minutes”. He is now viewed as a genuine option in the core rotation.
Liverpool’s decision not to directly replace Jones reflects that belief. The club had examined bringing in an established name, but the combination of high fees and Nyoni’s rapid progression pushed the conversation in a different direction. The answer, they concluded, was already on the training pitch at Kirkby.
For supporters wondering why no new midfielder has arrived despite Jones’ departure, Bailey says the club’s position is straightforward.
“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.”
Market watch – with one eye open
Liverpool are not completely shutting the door on midfield business. Circumstances can change quickly.
Bailey pointed out: “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.”
For now, the hierarchy in the middle of the pitch is clear: Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Nyoni form the core, with Wataru Endo adding experience and depth.
Nyoni’s rise has also given Liverpool freedom to target other areas. The priority in this window is at least one new winger, with midfield no longer seen internally as a department requiring a major outlay.
The teenager is expected to receive meaningful minutes this season, not just late cameos. The message inside the club is that he will be allowed – and expected – to challenge established names for game time.
From the outside, choosing an 18-year-old to cover the loss of a £30m homegrown midfielder might look like a gamble. Inside Liverpool, it sounds more like a statement: they believe Trey Nyoni is ready to live in that space.
