Curtis Jones Absent in Liverpool's Friendly Against Como

Curtis Jones was nowhere to be seen. On a night when Liverpool and Como met again in public after a behind-closed-doors stalemate, the midfielder’s absence from the squad spoke almost as loudly as anything on the pitch.

The 25-year-old was left out of Liverpool’s matchday group for their second friendly against the Italian side, a decision that lands right in the middle of growing noise around reported interest from Inter. The clubs had already played out a 0-0 draw earlier on Sunday at the AXA Training Centre, but while the lineups changed for the return fixture in front of supporters, Jones did not reappear.

Liverpool, according to Tuttomercatoweb, have indicated that the England international is scheduled to carry out individual work instead. He also sat out last week’s friendly against Monaco with what has been described as a minor hip problem.

That context matters. But so does the timing.

With Inter monitoring midfield options in the final stretch of the summer transfer window, Jones’s continued absence inevitably sharpens the focus on his situation. There is no confirmation from Liverpool that his omission is linked to any potential move, yet every missed game now adds another layer to the story.

While speculation swirls around Jones, the teams on the pitch offered a different kind of subplot.

Fabregas starts Chalobah as Liverpool rotate

Como coach Cesc Fabregas handed Trevoh Chalobah a starting role, a notable call in a side otherwise packed with rotation and options on the bench. Nico Paz, Maxence Caqueret and Alvaro Morata were all held back among the substitutes, giving Chalobah room to stake an early claim.

Across from him, Liverpool named a side that mixed established names with newer faces. Alisson started in goal behind a defence featuring Virgil van Dijk and Jacquet, with Kerkez and Wirtz also involved. In midfield and attack, Andoni Iraola went with Szoboszlai, Isak, Gakpo, Frimpong, Gravenberch and Ngumoha.

On the bench, Liverpool had Davies, Munoz, Araujo, Nyoni, Koumas, Ndiaye and Wright in reserve, underlining the experimental feel of the evening as Iraola continues to shape his squad.

Fabregas, by contrast, had a deep and varied bench to lean on. Behind his starting XI of Butez; Bruno, Milla, Douvikas, Ramon, Couto, J. Rodriguez, Baturina, Chalobah, Liberali and Da Cunha, he could call upon Kempf, Valle, Goldaniga, Morata, Caqueret, Gabrielloni, Nico Paz, Audero, Dossena, Lahdo, Kuhn, Tronqvist, Vigorito, Perrone, Fadera, Smolcic, Asfour, Rispoli, Diao, Van Der Brempt and Azon.

Plenty of moving parts. Plenty of options. And one glaring omission.

As Liverpool’s pre-season rhythm builds and the window ticks towards its close, the question lingers: is Curtis Jones simply being managed back from a minor issue, or is this the quiet prelude to a major move?