Arne Slot has reportedly been trying to mould his Liverpool team into PSG ever since being beaten by the French side in last year’s Champions League.
The Reds took the eventual winners of the competition all the way to penalties, but were deservedly beaten in cruel fashion.
Across the two legs, PSG appeared to have everything Liverpool did not possess under Slot: pace, fluidity in attack and a midfield which simply loved having the ball.
Join our newsletter for news & smart analysis.
How far will Liverpool go in the Champions League this season? 👀
Highest chances of winning the Champions League this season
- Arsenal: 21.74%
- Bayern Munich: 17.95%
- PSG: 13.24%
- Manchester City: 10.07%
- FC Barcelona: 6.85%
- Real Madrid: 5.04%
- Liverpool: 5.03%
Via Opta
Photo by Marco Canoniero/LightRocket via Getty Images
👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
The full-backs also played a big part in Luis Enrique’s system, and Slot’s decision to sign Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez last summer suggested a move towards the same style of play.
If that is indeed the long-term goal for Liverpool, then the midfield will also need a little attention. As luck would have it, though, Slot’s very own version of PSG schemer Vitinha appears to have fallen right into his lap.
Curtis Jones can become a crucial player for Liverpool
Vitinha has gone from being a failure during his time at Wolves to one of the world’s best midfielders with PSG.
The Portugal international was even voted into third place during the 2025 Ballon d’Or, completing a remarkable turnaround in fortunes.
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
READ MORE: Arne Slot may have accidentally guaranteed that Harvey Elliott will be back at Liverpool in 2026
Every club across Europe would love to have the 25-year-old in their ranks, but in Curtis Jones, Liverpool have someone who can do exactly what he does without having to spend a penny.
As OptaJoe noted after Jones’ excellent performance against Inter Milan on Tuesday, the Scouser has now completed 92% of his passes under high-intensity pressure in the Champions League this season.
Interestingly, only two players have a better success-rate in this aspect than Jones. One is Vitinha, who posts a marginally better 92.4%, with Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong coming out on top with 92.8%.
He may not be every Liverpool supporters’ first name on the teamsheet, but Jones clearly has the attributes to take Slot’s PSG-ification up another level.
What more does Curtis Jones need to do to cement his place in Liverpool’s starting XI?
He ran the midfield tonight 👏
👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
Jones set for biggest chance ever at Liverpool
Part of the problem for Jones at Liverpool has been getting into the team and then staying there. He has regularly had good spells in the starting XI, only to generally be thwarted by injury.
But having stayed fit for the full season so far, Jones now has the chance to truly lay down his marker once and for all at Anfield.
The 24-year-old was delighted when Slot arrived to replace Jurgen Klopp, believing that his greater focus on retaining possession would suit him down to the ground.
While that has not always been the case, Tuesday’s game suggested that a shift to another different system could indeed get the best out of Jones.
Vitinha has proven himself to be a late bloomer at PSG, and although Jones’ talent has always been more precocious, he could still follow a similar pathway right to the top of the game at Liverpool.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox