Liverpool's Trey Nyoni: The Successor to Curtis Jones
Liverpool have decided the answer to Curtis Jones’ £30m exit isn’t on the transfer market. It’s already in their own dressing room.
Teenager Trey Nyoni is being pushed into the first-team frame this season after a standout pre-season convinced new head coach Andoni Iraola that the club can live without another senior midfield signing.
Jones’ move to Inter Milan had initially set alarm bells ringing for Iraola, who, according to TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey, feared Liverpool’s midfield might be left short.
“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,” Bailey explained.
That concern sent Liverpool into the market. Properly into it.
Big names on the list – and quickly crossed off
Behind the scenes, Liverpool weighed up some of the most coveted midfielders in Europe. Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali were both looked at as potential options, Bailey revealed, before sealing moves to Arsenal and Tottenham respectively.
“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 at established stars. Recruitment staff also dug deep into the next generation: Adam Wharton, Alex Scott and Lamine Camara all came under serious scrutiny.
“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. The search, for a while, looked like it might drag on.
Then Nyoni stepped in and changed everything.
Nyoni blows Iraola away
The 18-year-old, already highly regarded inside the club, used pre-season as his audition. And he didn’t just pass it. He tore up the script.
“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 said.
That is a huge endorsement for a player who, not long ago, was being spoken about as one for the future rather than a core part of the present. Nyoni is now viewed as a genuine first-team option, not a token academy inclusion or late substitute.
Liverpool’s refusal to directly replace Jones is not a gamble taken in the dark. It’s a statement of faith in Nyoni’s development and a clear reflection of what Iraola and his staff have seen over the summer.
The club did their homework on experienced and emerging midfielders. They walked away from deals not just because of cost, but because their internal solution suddenly looked too good to ignore.
Midfield settled, focus shifts out wide
So when Liverpool supporters look at Jones’ departure and wonder why no new midfielder has arrived, Bailey says the club’s answer 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.”
There is still a caveat. Liverpool have already shown they can pivot if the right opportunity lands in their lap.
Bailey pointed to recent business at the back as proof: “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, Iraola’s midfield hierarchy is clear. Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch form the established core, with Nyoni now grouped alongside them rather than behind them. Wataru Endo offers further depth and experience.
Nyoni’s rise has also given Liverpool freedom to attack other areas of the squad. The priority has shifted towards signing at least one winger, with the middle of the pitch no longer seen internally as a department in need of another major investment.
The teenager is expected to get meaningful minutes this season. Not just cup cameos, but real chances to challenge established names and force his way into Iraola’s plans.
From the outside, allowing Jones to leave without a like-for-like replacement might look like a risk. Inside Liverpool, the calculation is different and the message is unwavering: they believe Trey Nyoni is ready to carry that weight.
