Liverpool’s Curtis Jones Confident He Has a Place in “Best Team in the World”

Following what was probably the longest, strangest football season anyone has ever lived through, Liverpool are back. Back in training, preparing to go again after just two weeks of holidays to rest and recover.

Preparing to defend the club’s first league title in three decades. Preparing to fight for their seventh European Cup. Preparing for a season that will begin as the last one ended, without fans in the stands.

For a young player like Curtis Jones, though, a local 19-year-old expected to take on a significant first team role this season, there are no concerns about short summer breaks—only hopes for the future.

“I love it,” Jones said of getting back to work ahead of another season. “I think you need to be confident and know that you’ve got a challenge ahead. It’s the best team in the world, it’s the best players in the world.

“You’ve got to be confident, you’ve got to give yourself a challenge. I can’t wait to get started. We had a short break but I was working hard while I was off. I just hope I can carry on the season that I had last season.”

As for specific targets, Jones isn’t setting them yet, though based on what he showed in limited minutes last season, and given this year’s compressed schedule, it seems certain that he will get his chances.

Perhaps starting as early as against Arsenal in the Community Shield, a first chance at silverware but also a game where Jürgen Klopp is expected to give many of his younger players a chance to impress.

“Hopefully I can just be more involved in the matchday squads,” he added. “Get a bit more game time and show what I’m really capable of. Hopefully I can help the team and I’ll just see what the season holds for me.”