"I can see him thriving for many years to come" - Pundit urges Jurgen Klopp to give 22-year-old Liverpool star an extended run in the starting XI

Former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott recently urged Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to keep starting Curtis Jones after he impressed during the Reds' 3-1 win against West Ham United.

Jones started for Liverpool against West Ham on Sunday, September 24. The 22-year-old looked comfortable in midfield alongside summer signings Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister.

He had a pass accuracy of 96%, won seven duels, made three recoveries, and had a goal disallowed after marginally straying offside. Moreover, the England U21 international was a workhorse and showed great character on the pitch.

Jones has now started Liverpool's last three games in a row with the Reds winning each of them. Lescott spoke to LiveScore and said (via Rousing The Kop):

“Curtis is someone I worked closely with at the U-21 Euros over the summer and I knew he was ready to shine if given a proper chance. Too often, we see big teams look to the transfer market for experienced additions when they have homegrown talent right under their nose."

He added:

“If Jurgen Klopp keeps giving Curtis the opportunities, he’s only going to go one way and I can see him thriving for many years to come at Anfield.”

Curtis Jones came through the Liverpool academy, making his senior debut in the 2018-19 season. He has made 101 appearances to date, scoring 11 goals and providing 11 assists.

---

Kostas Tsikimas credits 2 Liverpool players who convinced him to sign a new contract with the club

Liverpool left-back Kostas Tsikimas credited Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk for helping convince him to sign a new long-term deal with the club. The 'Greek Scouser' put pen to paper on September 25, keeping him at Anfield until the summer of 2027.

Tsimikas joined the Reds from Olympiacos in 2020 for £11.75 million. Despite largely being a backup option for Andy Robertson, the 27-year-old has impressed when given the opportunity to play.

The Greece international had made 63 appearances across all competitions, providing 12 assists. He also famously scored the winning penalty against Chelsea in the 2021-22 FA Cup final, winning his second trophy for the club.

About his contract extension, Tsimikas said (via Liverpool's official website):

"Yeah, of course – I always speak to him [Salah] about everything. He always convinced me and the captain also convinced me to sign. I feel the love of the players always, we are all together and we have fun."

He added:

"For me [this is] the most important thing, when these kind of players – and especially Mo, he is always next to me there, we have fun together and he always suggests the best thing for me and for my career. So, as I said before, it was not a difficult decision for me."

Tsimikas is expected to start for the Reds against Leicester City in the third round of the EFL Cup on September 27.