Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones has been likened to Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland due to his confidence as a teenager.
Jones has established himself as an important squad player for the Reds over the past few years, earning praise from manager Jurgen Klopp regularly. Although the 21-year-old hasn’t been able to nail down a starting spot regularly at Anfield, the Englishman looks a top prospect for the club and is far from the finished product yet.
In contrast, Haaland is one of the most exciting talents in world football and it is hard to see the Norwegian not walking into any top team in Europe and not improving them. The former Salzburg star has impressed with his pace, power and top-quality goal-scoring prowess, though his self-assured personality has caught the eye too.
But former Liverpool academy graduate Edvard Tagseth has spoken about the similarities between the two aforementioned players. Speaking on his former club’s official site, he said: “I think both of them had the same, maybe cockiness, I spent more time with Curtis and he definitely had that. But Erling as well was confident on the pitch and off the pitch. I think that's important and I think they both have that confidence."
Tagseth saw Jones on several occasions as the latter rose through the ranks with the Reds, whilst sharing a dressing room with Haaland when representing Norway on the youth international stage.
Speaking about Jones, he continued: “When I went on a tournament with Liverpool at U14 or U15, you could tell straight away he was the main man and he just kept improving and doing really well for us. So I'm not surprised where he is at now.
Who will Erling Haaland sign for in the summer? Comment down below
"I think he was only 17 or 18 when he was training more with the first team than us. I think he can become a Liverpool legend, already now when he plays he's doing really well, so he can be really good. He's one of the best players I've trained with."
Liverpool’s midfield has been at the heart of some of their rough spells this season, notably due to injuries and absences rather than other issues. Jones has slotted into the right side of Klopp’s midfield trio on 12 occasions in the Premier League this season, and his versatility means that he seamlessly slots into the right-back role when Trent Alexander-Arnold goes bombing forward.
Given that he is an academy graduate and local lad, Jones is unlikely to leave Liverpool any time soon and will certainly be hoping that he can grow into a club legend at his boyhood side. But the can’t be said for Haaland.
The Dortmund forward is expected to leave the Bundesliga outfit at the end of the season when the £63million release clause in his contract becomes active. Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City have all been linked with the 21-year-old but the powerful forward has given no indication of where his future lies.
And Haaland has always been an impressive talent according to Tagseth. The midfielder explained: “I remember that tournament well, that was the first time I played with Erling. I think one game we played 4-4-2 and me and him were strikers against Holland.
“You could already tell he was a talented player but I think his game has improved so much after that, it's gone really quick for him. I'm maybe more surprised with him than Curtis."
