Arne Slot has revealed why it would have been “strange” to allow Curtis Jones to leave Liverpool in January after the midfielder was linked with a late exit as he grows frustrated with his lack of game time.

Jones has made 21 appearances for Liverpool in the Premier League this term but has started just ten of those games and reports towards the end of the transfer window claimed he had ‘accepted an offer’ from Inter and had ‘asked to leave’ Anfield.

It was earlier claimed that the Liverpool academy graduate had had a ‘bust-up’ with Slot, which may have led him to push for an exit.

The move didn’t materialise and Jones will remain at Liverpool until at least the end of the season, at which point the Reds will likely decide whether to offer him a new contract or look for potential buyers as his contract expire in the summer of 2027.

Slot was asked about the interest in Jones in January, with Tottenham also said to be keen before they instead plumped for Conor Gallagher, and the Reds boss suggested he can understand the 25-year-old’s frustration but insists it would have been “strange” to let him leave when “he is one of 16 outfield players available”.

“I think what you’ve seen…he has played a lot of minutes and unlucky in the sense that midfield is the only line we haven’t had injuries, but we kept because we have players but we need players in these positions,” Slot said in his press conference ahead of their clash with Manchester City.

“And the moment you start to need midfielders in different positions, the line gets smaller and smaller.

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“We kept him, his situation hasn’t changed to us, he is one of 16 outfield players available we have with two young players in Nyoni and Ngumoha, so it would be strange if we let anyone go.”

On the possibility of Jones being offered a new deal at Liverpool, Slot insisted that decision is not down to him.

“(Contract) talks are not taking place in here – they’re taking place in other places in this building,” he said. “We’re all aware that he only has one and a half years left [on his current contract], so that’s all I can say about it.”