‘I made mind up on Liverpool ace after Gerrard chat – they’ve proven me wrong’

Former Liverpool star Didi Hamann has admitted that he has been proven wrong by Curtis Jones, who has played a key role in the Reds' impressive start to the season.

Hamann, who won the Champions League with the Reds in 2005, has expressed his surprise at the way Jones has defied expectations. His doubts persisted despite club legend and former Liverpool Under-18s coach Steven Gerrard telling him the youngster was a budding “superstar”.

Jones has made his mark under Arne Slot this season, securing a place in Liverpool's starting line-up and contributing significantly with a goal and three assists. The young star's prowess has not gone unnoticed on the international stage; he scored for England against Greece in the Nations League, and Hamann has now acknowledged his error in judgement.

“I have been following Curtis Jones for a number of years now. He must have been in and around the team for four or five years now,” Hamann told Genting Casino. “I wasn't too sure if he was capable of becoming a regular at Liverpool, but he has proven me completely wrong.

“He's 23 now. When I came into Bayern's first team, I was 20. In Bayern Munich. Physically I wasn't ready for it yet. I probably needed 12 months to get used to the training, the pace of the game. game, everything.” Jones was excellent and that also has to do with his self-confidence. He probably didn't feel part of the team before because he was a small player, but now we've seen the real Curtis Jones.”

Jones made a big impact when he first burst onto the scene under Klopp in the 2019/2020 season, most notably with his winning goal in an FA Cup tie against city rivals Everton at Anfield. However, his rapid development was nothing new for former midfielder Gerrard, who told Hamann about the talent Liverpool had in their ranks.

“Obviously Steven Gerrard coached him at the academy. He's a big admirer of him and he told me years ago to keep an eye on this boy because he was going to be a superstar,” Hamann said. “Sometimes you have to give people time, and more often than not they don't get time at the giant clubs.”

Jones is now a regular in the Liverpool squad and continues to impress. He scored five goals last season – his highest tally in the first team to date. The former Germany international now sees Jones as potentially one of Liverpool's most important players in the near future.

“You have to take your hat off to the way Liverpool have managed him. There would have been numerous occasions where he could have gone out on loan for 12 months but they decided it was better for him to stay and continue his education at Liverpool I think he could be a big player, not only for Liverpool, but also for England.

“He set up a goal against Leverkusen (in the Champions League this season) where he played a through ball. I don't think there are too many players in world football who would see the pass and play the pass. It was absolutely sensational .”