Liverpool Echo

A Liverpool star has been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur in the January transfer window, with former Reds boss Jurgen Klopp having previously made his thoughts clear on the player

Jurgen Klopp has already made his thoughts clear on Tottenham transfer target Curtis Jones by heaping praise on the Liverpool midfielder. With Thomas Frank under huge pressure at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and injuries mounting with each passing game, Spurs turned to the transfer market earlier this month, bringing in former Chelsea star Conor Gallagher.

However, with Pape Sarr falling ill at AFCON, Rodrigo Bentancur out for a while due to injury and Joao Palhinha missing the 2-1 defeat to West Ham on Saturday, another midfield addition might be needed in north London during this transfer window.

Reports suggest Jones, who has seen limited playtime under Arne Slot at Anfield this season, is a player Tottenham have considered. The Englishman has the endorsement of Klopp, who helped nurse him through Liverpool's academy ranks.

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The Times claim Spurs are keen on the 24-year-old, who has only started 10 Premier League matches this season, although it remains to be seen whether this interest persists following Tottenham’s signing of Gallagher from Atletico Madrid.

Speaking in 2020, Klopp was left amazed by a young Jones after he delivered a standout performance in a 7-2 Carabao Cup victory against Lincoln. He had been gradually integrating the midfielder into Liverpool's first team.

When asked about Jones, who scored two goals in the win, Klopp was full of admiration and said: "First half really good, start of the second half really good.

"There is still space for improvement but everyone knows my opinion of Curtis Jones, he is an exceptional talent and we will have some fun with him I am pretty sure in the future.

"Both goals were difficult. The second one the first touch was absolutely exceptional between two opponents and then he opens up and sees the opportunity and finishes it off."

In the following years, Jones would become a key member of Klopp's squad, securing two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two League Cup trophies.

When Klopp left Liverpool in 2024, a documentary was produced about his time in charge and he once again had some positive and choice words about the English midfielder.

"He was never in doubt that he will make it, which I love that so much," said Klopp. "It's so different to my personality. I have no idea how I arrived here, he knows he's absolutely in the right place.

"I always could understand the player. That they hated me if they didn't come on or didn't start, or whatever, because I was no different.

"So when I go and tell him 'Curtis, you have to pass the ball more often'. And he has to learn that the ball from now on when he passes to whoever, there's a good chance he will do something special, or you'll get it back."

Liverpool are not expected to make any signings before the January transfer window closes, but Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa could be on the move

Liverpool have less than two weeks to secure their first senior signing of the winter transfer window. The Reds brought in Mor Talla Ndiaye earlier this month, but he is set to join their under-21s.

James Norris is the only player to have left so far, having been signed by Shelbourne on a permanent basis on New Year's Day. At this point in the market, departures are more the talk of Anfield than arrivals, with several players attracting interest from clubs across Europe.

The ECHO provides an update on the latest transfer rumours involving the Reds, with a focus on Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa.

Curtis Jones' Premier League interest

Tottenham Hotspur have expressed interest in Curtis Jones, as reported by The Times. Spurs have already secured Conor Gallagher this winter and could now bring Jones together with his former England teammate.

The duo have twice played for the senior side together, having previously teamed up for the under-21s. Both will be hoping to make it back into Thomas Tuchel's squad for the World Cup this summer.

Gallagher has already made a move for more game time and played the full 90 minutes on his debut for Spurs. Jones, on the other hand, has started all but one of Liverpool's last 10 matches, the only exception being the 0-0 draw with Arsenal, when he was left on the bench.

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Federico Chiesa faces a pivotal week

According to Calciomercato, Juventus still view Federico Chiesa as a prime candidate to bolster their attack this month. The Italian publication reports that Liverpool are seeking between £13million and £17million for the winger.

It's also reported that the Reds are keen on a permanent departure, while the Turin side would favour a loan deal with an option to buy. Chiesa seems eager for a return and is reportedly willing to lower his wage demands to facilitate a move.

The return of Mohamed Salah from the Africa Cup of Nations could potentially pave the way for Chiesa's exit. With the Egyptian star back in action, Chiesa's role under Arne Slot could diminish even further.

However, during the summer, the Italian expressed contentment at Anfield, stating: "I am playing for one of the best teams in the world. I just have to wait and be ready and prove that I can play for this team. The coach has treated me very well."

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Tottenham are weighing up whether to make a managerial change, with former Liverpool hero Xabi Alonso linked with the potential vacancy

Xabi Alonso has been touted as a potential successor to Thomas Frank at Tottenham Hotspur, should the club decide on a change of manager. The former Liverpool star is currently out of work after leaving his role as Real Madrid manager earlier this week.

Frank's tenure as Spurs manager has come under scrutiny of late, with rumours escalating after their loss to West Ham.

Tottenham suffered a 2-1 defeat to the Hammers in Saturday's Premier League match, leaving them in 14th place in the league table.

Spurs have managed just one victory in their last seven Premier League games, a run of form that has fuelled speculation about Frank's future at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, reports the Express.

Frank was brought in last summer following Ange Postecoglou's departure, but already there are rumours that another change could be on the horizon.

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The Independent reports that the Spurs board is considering replacing Frank before Tuesday night's Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund, with at least one club chief raising the possibility of sacking him.

Alonso is named in the report as a possible candidate to step into Frank's shoes if a change is made.

However, the report also suggests that Alonso might decline the job in North London if offered, as the ex-Madrid manager believes he may have "better options" to consider at the end of the season.

Alonso left Real earlier this month after Los Blancos were beaten by Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final. The former Liverpool star has been succeeded by Alvaro Arbeloa, a former teammate from his time at Anfield, who has assumed caretaker charge of the La Liga giants.

The report does indicate, however, that Alonso isn't the only candidate being touted to replace Frank at Tottenham, with Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner also mentioned as a possible successor.

For now, at least, Spurs are retaining Frank as their manager, but it's unclear whether a change will be implemented before the Champions League fixture against Dortmund in midweek.

Alonso has also been linked with taking the Liverpool job in the near future as well as Manchester United, who are planning to name a permanent successor for Ruben Amorim in the summer.

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The Liverpool striker is set for some time out on the side-lines after suffering a fractured fibula and an ankle injury during their 2-1 win over Tottenham.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven has revealed a text exchange between himself and Liverpool's Alexander Isak following the latter's devastating injury. The club's summer signing is expected to be on the side-lines for at least a couple of months.

He suffered the ankle injury when he was caught by van de Ven as he scored the Reds opening goal in a 2-1 win over Spurs. He has since undergone surgery on the problem, which included a fractured fibula.

The injury is the latest setback for Isak who's yet to fully establish himself at the club since his £125million move from Newcastle this summer. Van De Ven has, in turn, outlined the message he sent to Isak following the match.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the Spurs defender said: "Yeah, I've text him, of course.

"I've sent him a text because I didn't want to injure him, I didn't want to do something to hurt him, I just tried to block the shot and I think it was a bit unlucky how his foot landed between my legs.

"So I sent him a text afterwards and I want to wish him all the best in his recovery.

"That's what I said to him, and I hope we can see him on the pitch very soon again."

When asked if Isak replied, he added: "Yeah, he really appreciated the message, he texted back."

Despite van de Ven not specifically divulging what was in the reply sent by Isak, it's fair to assume the Liverpool man accepted the apology. His full focus will now be getting back to fitness as soon as possible.

Speaking about Isak's return, head coach Arne Slot revealed his confidence the striker will make his comeback before the end of the current campaign.

"Yeah, [he'll play again this season], I'm confident.

"It's been a really challenging and difficult period for him, I think.

"Maybe no-one understands but if you haven't trained for three or four months on a serious level with the team and you're playing in this league... in this league you need to be on the top of your game to impact the games.

"That took, which we all knew, months before we could bring him there because there was no pre-season, there were games, games, games.

"We had hardly any time to train, so we always knew that it would take him time - and that's why he's so unlucky that he's now injured because I think we all saw with a goal against West Ham, and with this goal [vs Tottenham], that he got closer and closer to the player he was at Newcastle."

Cristian Romero has been charged by the Football Association after being sent off in Liverpool's win over Tottenham Hotspur

Cristian Romero has been charged by the Football Association following his dismissal in Liverpool’s win over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. The Spurs captain was shown a second yellow card after kicking out at Ibrahima Konate in second half stoppage-time.

However, the FA charge is in relation to his conduct after being shown the red card, with the Argentina international finding himself charged for allegedly failing to leave the pitch promptly and behaving improperly towards referee John Brooks.

A statement shared by the official spokesperson for The FA reads: "Tottenham Hotspur's Cristian Romero has been charged following their Premier League match against Liverpool on Saturday 20 December.

"It's alleged that he acted in an improper manner by failing to promptly leave the field of play and/or behaving in a confrontational and/or aggressive manner towards the match referee after being sent off in the 93rd minute. Cristian Romero has until Friday 2 January 2026 to respond."

Romero is already set to serve a one-game suspension as a result of his dismissal, and will at least miss Tottenham's match against Crystal Palace on December 28.

Spurs boss Thomas Frank took issue with Romero’s sending off, suggesting it was the wrong decision following Liverpool’s win over Spurs.

“The second red we got on the wrong end too,” said Frank. “There’s probably a reason why the whole team reacts as they do.

"Normally, if it's one player reacting, if it's the whole team, probably because there's something about it. I think we all played football enough and seen enough football that there's something probably around that.

"So, I can't see if it's right or wrong that he gives the first yellow. The second yellow, I see two big boys competing; Konate absolutely smashing through Cuti [Romero]. It's a foul, I'm not saying more.

"His foot landed on Cuti's head. Not a yellow, I'm not saying that. Cuti makes a reaction. I think I guess it can be given, but also I guess it can be not given.”

Romero was also involved in both Liverpool goals, gifting the ball to the Reds in midfield for Alexander Isak’s opener before insisting he was fouled by Hugo Ekitike when challenging the Frenchman in the air for the would-be winner.

Elsewhere, Spurs narrowly avoided being fined by the FA for ill-discipline in their clash with Liverpool.

Action is taken against a club if six or more of their players or technical area occupants are either cautioned or sent off in a match, with a club receiving an initial £25,000 fine.

Spurs were issued six different cards by Brooks, with Frank, Micky van de Ven and Rodrigo Bentancur also booked, while Xavi Simons received a straight red card in the first half for a late challenge on Virgil van Dijk.

But with Romero being issued with two yellow cards, six or more of their players and staff did not fall foul of officials against Liverpool.

The Reds were previously fined by the FA for ill-discipline themselves following their controversial trip to Tottenham in September 2023.

Jurgen Klopp's side saw Curtis Jones controversially shown a straight red card for a foul on Yves Bissouma in the first half in North London, which was upgraded from a yellow card following VAR intervention, while Diogo Jota was dismissed for two bookable offences in quick-succession after the break.

Alexis Mac Allister, Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Virgil van Dijk were also all cautioned, along with assistant manager Peter Krawietz.

With such a financial penalty automatic, there was no charge to answer and no statement from the FA.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven has spoken to Alexander Isak after the challenge that injured the Liverpool striker

Micky van de Ven has revealed the details of his apology to Alexander Isak after the challenge that left the Liverpool striker with a broken leg. Isak underwent surgery on Monday to repair an ankle injury that included a fractured left fibula having been caught by a heavy late challenge from Tottenham defender Van de Ven in the process of scoring the opener in the Reds' 2-1 Premier League win in London at the weekend.

Claims from Liverpool boss Arne Slot the tackle was "reckless" were dismissed by Tottenham counterpart Thomas Frank on Tuesday afternoon.

And Van de Ven has now explained the exchange he had with Isak after the extent of the injury emerged and is adamant he didn't mean to harm the Sweden international.

"Yeah, I've texted him, of course," said Van de Ven to Sky Sports. "I sent him a text because I didn't want to injure him.

"I didn't want to do something to hurt him, of course. I just wanted to try to block the shot.

"And I think it was a bit unlucky how his foot landed between my legs. So yeah, I sent him a text afterwards, and I wanted to wish him all the best for his recovery. That's what I said to him.

"He really appreciated the message. He texted back."

Isak is now facing a number of months on the sidelines after the latest setback of a difficult season following his British record £125million transfer from Newcastle United at the start of September.

Spurs boss Frank had said yesterday: “I am obviously disagreeing (with Slot) in many ways," he said. "We are talking about a defender that will do everything he can to avoid the goal.

“It is a transition, there is a ball down the side and he is doing everything he can to block the shot so he is sliding. Unfortunately Isak plants his foot so it makes it look worse than it is, but that is a natural action for a defender.

“Put it this way, if my defender does not do that, they are not true defenders!

“Reckless challenge? I don’t think you see anything like that from Micky. He is very fair and I know the two players have sorted it out, so that’s a good sign.”

Ex-PGMOL chief says Richarlison could have been sent off for what he did against Liverpool

Keith Hackett believes Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer Richarlison could have been shown a red card after he halved his team's deficit against Liverpool on Saturday

Richarlison was fortunate not to be the third Tottenham Hotspur player sent off in Saturday's incident-packed clash with Liverpool. That's according to a former PGMOL chief.

Ex-Everton hero Richarlison halved the Tottenham deficit in the 83rd minute when he fired home from close range.

That set up a frantic finish in which Spurs, who were down to 10 men after a first-half red card for Xavi Simons and who would later see Cristian Romero given his marching orders, laid siege to the Liverpool goal.

But the Reds managed to hold on with strikes from Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike earlier in the half ultimately ensuring a third straight win in all competitions. However, Richarlison should not have been on the pitch to lead the late charge.

That's the view of one time PGMOL boss Keith Hackett, who says the Brazilian could have joined Simons in the dressing room for what he did immediately after scoring his fifth Premier League goal against Liverpool.

The 28-year-old ran to get the ball out of the net but fell on top of Ekitike, who had slipped trying to kick the ball away.

Richarlison then put his hand on the back of the Reds forward's neck before rushing out of the box, where he was confronted by Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong. Szoboszlai was subsequently shown a yellow card, meaning he will miss this weekend's home clash with Wolves.

But Hackett says Richarlison could have seen red. "There is no doubt that Richarlison is a competitive individual and certainly one that a referee needs to keep his eye on," he told Football Insider.

"In this particular situation, we see Richarlison with his hand on the neck of his opponent as he is getting up off the ground. There's a little pressure.

"Could easily have been a red card but was completely missed by officials, ignored by VAR and as a result, nothing happens.

"It could have been a red card mister Richarlison. Behave yourself."

Simons was dismissed on 33 minutes for a foul on Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk after referee John Brooks was invited by VAR to consult his pitchside monitor after initially awarding a yellow card.

Romero, who had earlier been booked, was dismissed for a second yellow during additional time after a tangle on the floor with Ibrahima Konate after being fouled by Van Dijk's centre-back partner.

Reds head coach Arne Slot also felt Romero's centre-partner Micky van de Ven could have been sent off for his challenge on Isak when opening the scoring.

The challenge led to the £125m striker sustaining a serious leg injury that will rule him out for at least two months.

Slot said: "Yeah, (Isak's injury) was a reckless challenge.

"I've said a lot about the tackle of Xavi Simons, which for me was completely unintentional. I don't think you will ever get an injury out of a tackle like that.

"But the tackle of Van de Ven, if you make a tackle like that 10 times, 10 times there is a serious chance the player gets a serious injury."

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank said: "I am obviously disagreeing (with Slot) in many ways. We are talking about a defender that will do everything he can to avoid the goal.

"It is a transition, there is a ball down the side and he is doing everything he can to block the shot so he is sliding. Unfortunately Isak plants his foot so it makes it look worse than it is, but that is a natural action for a defender.

"Put it this way, if my defender does not do that, they are not true defenders!

"Reckless challenge? I don’t think you see anything like that from Micky. He is very fair and I know the two players have sorted it out, so that’s a good sign."

Liverpool striker Alexander Isak has endured a torrid few months since his move to Anfield

Liverpool striker Alexander Isak has broken his silence after suffering a disappointing injury setback in the Reds' win over Tottenham Hotspur.

The Swedish international fractured his leg following a challenge from Spurs defender Micky van de Ven and has had to have surgery on an "ankle injury that included a fibula fracture."

The 26-year-old came off the bench and scored for Liverpool at Tottenham on Saturday but had to be taken off just a few moments after finding the back of the net.

Isak was in clear discomfort as he hobbled off the pitch and is now set for a spell on the sidelines.

Taking to Instagram, the striker said: "Gutted to be out for a while. Time to recover and support from the sideline.

"I will work hard to be back as soon as I possibly can. Thank you all reds and everyone else for the kind messages, it does not go unnoticed [red heart emoji] #YNWA."

The Swedish international has endured a difficult period since moving to Anfield from Newcastle United, missing the Magpies' pre-season with a minor thigh injury and then didn't train with Eddie Howe's side in order to force through a move.

Isak has scored just two goals and notched one assist in 10 Premier League appearances this season, scoring one more goal in the Carabao Cup win over Southampton, but has failed to find the back of the net in the Champions League.

The British record signing has struggled with his fitness and this is another huge setback, with former Reds defender Jamie Carragher highlighting his bad luck on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.

"It's a huge blow because I think Liverpool were actually one attacker short anyway," Carragher said.

"There's a lot been made about a lot of the challenges in the game from Tottenham players and a lot of them weren't clever. I put myself in Van de Ven's position and that's a challenge I'd probably make.

"He's trying to block it - it's just the follow through. I don't know where else anyone thinks his foot's going to go. He has to make that challenge. You can't let the striker just get a shot away in that situation.

Liverpool striker Alexander Isak is set to spend months on the sidelines after being left injured by a challenge by Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank has revealed Alexander Isak and Micky van de Ven have "sorted it out" after the challenge that left the Liverpool striker facing months out with a fractured left leg. But Frank has disagreed vehemently with the claim from Reds counterpart Arne Slot the tackle was "reckless".

Isak underwent surgery on Monday to repair an ankle injury that included a fractured fibula after scans revealed the extent of the damage sustained when caught heavily by Tottenham Hotspur defender Van de Ven while scoring the opener in the Reds' 2-1 away Premier League win on Saturday.

The Sweden international is expected to sidelined for a couple of months, the latest setback of a difficult season since his controversial £125million British transfer record move from Newcastle United in September.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot expressed his unhappiness with the challenge by Van de Ven when detailing on Tuesday morning the length of Isak's spell on the sidelines.

But, speaking later in the day, Tottenham boss Frank has dismissed such suggestions and claimed any issue between the two players has now been addressed.

“I am obviously disagreeing (with Slot) in many ways," he said. "We are talking about a defender that will do everything he can to avoid the goal.

“It is a transition, there is a ball down the side and he is doing everything he can to block the shot so he is sliding. Unfortunately Isak plants his foot so it makes it look worse than it is, but that is a natural action for a defender.

“Put it this way, if my defender does not do that, they are not true defenders!

“Reckless challenge? I don’t think you see anything like that from Micky. He is very fair and I know the two players have sorted it out, so that’s a good sign.”

Van de Ven avoided censure despite causing serious injury in his failed attempt to stop Isak from scoring in a game during which both Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero were sent off for Tottenham.

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Liverpool confirmed on Monday night that Alexander Isak fractured his ankle during Saturday’s victory over Tottenham and has undergone surgery

Hugo Ekitike has told Alexander Isak to "stay strong" as the Liverpool forward prepares for a spell on the sidelines. Isak will be out for a "couple of months" after undergoing an operation on Monday afternoon after sustaining a broken leg in the 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

The striker was hurt in a challenge from Micky van de Ven in the act of scoring his side's opening goal of the game. Isak had to be helped from the field of play by two members of the Liverpool medical team and an MRI scan showed he sustained damage to his ankle and a fractured fibula.

And taking to Instagram, Ekitike shared a picture of himself playing alongside Isak, captioning it with the message: "Stay strong brother. Speedy recovery inshallah."

Speaking on Tuesday morning, Reds boss Arne Slot has criticised Van de Ven for the 'reckless challenge' he made on Isak. He said: "It's going to be a long injury, for a couple of months.

"It's a big disappointment for him and, as a result, for us. This was, for me, a reckless challenge. I've said a lot about the tackle of Xavi Simons [who was sent off dragging his studs down the calf of Virgil van Dijk] which for me was completely unintentional.

"I don't think you will ever get an injury out of a tackle like that. But the tackle of Van de Ven, if you make a tackle like that 10 times, 10 times there is a serious chance the player gets a serious injury."

Isak has made 16 appearances since his £125million British-record move from Newcastle on deadline day, and Slot admitted: "It's been a really challenging and difficult period for him.

"Usually when you join a new club - he was very excited as well - you want to show all the qualities you have but that was simply impossible.

"Maybe no-one understands but if you haven't trained on a serious level for three or four months with the team and you are playing in this league you have to be on top of your game to impact a game of football.

"That took - which we all knew - months because there was no pre-season, just games, games, games and hardly any time to train.

"We all knew it would take him time and that's why he is so unlucky he is now injured because we all saw with his goal against West Ham and with this goal [against Tottenham] he gets closer and closer to the player he was last season at Newcastle."