The former Reds star has been impressed by academy graduates this season and feels they could become established parts of the senior squad
Curtis Jones and Neco Williams have the potential to fill important spots in Liverpool’s squad and save the Premier League leaders “a lot of money” in the summer transfer market, says Jamie Carragher.
Jurgen Klopp has blooded some of the club’s young prospects this season, while Neil Critchley’s U23 side have provided Carabao Cup and FA Cup cover during a Club World Cup campaign and winter break for the first-team.
Jones, who has also made his Premier League bow, and Williams are among those to have caught the eye, with the Reds unearthing another creative midfielder and promising full-back.
Carragher expects a home-grown production line to serve the club well, with the Reds legend telling the Liverpool Echo: “Curtis has kicked on this year, but that’s what young players do.
“They just make a jump and you’re never quite sure when it’s going to happen but they have to make that jump if they’re going to rise to the ability of the first-team and it looks like he has made that jump now.
“When he plays in the younger team, it almost looks like he’s a first-team player dropping down to play with the younger players.
“The one criticism of this Liverpool team is sometimes a lack of creativity from central midfield, and I think he could provide that.
“Whether Liverpool go into the market to change that, or [Takumi] Minamino maybe changes that, but Curtis Jones and some of the other younger players will be putting things in the managers head about whether he needs to go into the transfer market.”
Carragher added on Williams: “We haven’t got great cover at full-back – James Milner is there but he’s a 34-year-old midfield player and when you consider Liverpool are the champions of Europe and how good they are, there should probably be another recognised player in those positions.
“But I do think Neco Williams, with the way he has played, you wouldn’t think about going into the market to buy anyone and you’ve got Ki-Jana Hoever there as well.
“These young kids now and what they have done are going to save a lot of money in the summer.”
Liverpool’s youngsters have kept the club in the hunt for FA Cup honours this season, while Klopp’s star-studded senior squad has opened up a 22-point lead at the top of the Premier League and progressed through to the last-16 stage in the defence of their Champions League crown.
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