Arsenal told Liverpool gem Curtis Jones is better than Arteta’s ‘problem’ player

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Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley believes that Liverpool ace Curtis Jones is a better player than Kai Havertz.

Kai Havertz has produced some impressive performances for Arsenal in recent weeks, but Craig Burley still believes that the German is falling short of the standards being set by Curtis Jones at Liverpool.

Jones has shown some real quality for the Reds recently. The 22-year-old midfielder was excellent as Jurgen Klopp’s side beat Newcastle United 4-2 last time out. The English ace has an eye for goal, is an excellent passer of the ball, and works hard on the pitch to press and harry opponents.

Jones would be a good fit in Mikel Arteta’s tactical setup at the Emirates Stadium. He has the capacity to strike up an effective on-field relationship with the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli, whilst operating in one of the advanced midfield roles.

However, Arsenal invested heavily in the summer to bring Havertz to the club, with the plan being to install the 24-year-old in one of those midfield positions, alongside club captain Martin Odegaard.

The former Chelsea man endured a difficult start to life in north London, coming in for plenty of criticism early on as he looked bereft of confidence and struggled to make a tangible impact on matches.

However, since the end of November, Havertz has looked like a player transformed. He has been amongst the goals and has been playing with confidence.

Craig Burley has his say on Kai Havertz and Curtis Jones

Despite this turnaround, Burley is still convinced that Havertz is not the player Arsenal needed. Speaking on ESPN, he said, “Kai Havertz has been a big talking point, £70m – why wouldn’t he be? I’d have Curtis Jones ahead of him because he got a goal, because he makes things happen in the middle of the park, he gets on the ball, he drives forward, he’s a homegrown player. I think that [Havertz] is a big problem for Arsenal.”

It seems harsh to dismiss Havertz as a problem when he has so clearly taken strides forward. Given his technical ability and physical attributes, it’s easy to see what the 42-cap Germany international can bring to this team at his best. He battles well in the middle of the park, can hold the ball up and bring teammates into play, offers an aerial threat, and makes dangerous late runs into the box.

Havertz and Jones may well come up against one another this weekend. On Sunday, Arsenal are due to host Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in an FA Cup clash.