Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones will not be travelling to Helsinki alongside his England teammates for their upcoming clash against Finland.
This news comes in after Mohamed Salah’s early return from Egypt due to injury concerns. Defender Virgil van Dijk has also been given early leave from his international duty following a red card suspension.
Salah was recommended to miss Egypt’s next game against Mauritania. This was because The Pharaohs’ head coach Hossam Hassan felt that playing him on an artificial grass turf was too risky.
The African head coach also cited Mauritanian player’s hard tackles as a reason for avoidance. Hassan has allowed any Egyptian player to miss the clash due to the risky circumstances.
Virgil van Dijk on the other hand will return due to a red card suspension. This was the defender’s first international red card and it came against Hungary.
VVD was keen on travelling to Munich to support his teammates against Germany. However, it was later decided that the Dutch captain would return early to Liverpool and rest up before Liverpool’s clash against Chelsea on 20th October.
Curtis Jones was called up to the England squad following injuries to Morgan Gibbs-White and Kobbie Mainoo. The Liverpool midfielder hasn’t yet made a single appearance for The Three Lions.
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones cited “personal commitment” to avoid Finland clash
Curtis Jones’ family affairs mean he might also not be available for Liverpool
Despite the chance to make a debut for his national side, Curtis Jones has cited a “personal commitment” to avoid travelling to Helsinki.
Many sources have claimed that the reason for the Englishman’s withdrawal is due to family commitments. Jones and his girlfriend Saffie Khan are expecting their first child.
This is after she announced her pregnancy on Instagram in May. The couple has been together for many years and the pregnancy might also affect the 23-year-olds availability for Liverpool.
This was only the second time when Jones was called to The Three Lions squad. Yet to make his debut, Curtis wasn’t called up for international duty in September.
At Liverpool, the midfielder plays second fiddle to Hungarian international Dominik Szoboszlai. However, a mix of injuries and a timely performance boost gifted him a place in The Three Lions squad.
Szoboszlai has been the first-choice midfielder under Arne Slot since his arrival. Jones will look forward to being a regular at his childhood club Liverpool before making big strides with the national team.
Harvey Elliott is another competitor for the position but a foot injury has kept him on the sidelines. The 21-year-old’s return will certainly add to the competitiveness in the midfield.
