Jonjo Shelvey (Liverpool -> Swansea)

Looks like a proper playmaker. Good passing and wants to impose himself on the game.

Looks promising.

'Shelvey reminds me of Stevie'

Charlton Athletic's academy director Steve Gritt believes Liverpool's acquisition of Jonjo Shelvey will prove to be a shrewd piece of business.

The Reds moved to snap-up the England youth international from the Addicks earlier this month for an initial £1.7m with further potential payments depending on domestic and international appearances.

Shelvey became Charlton's youngest player when he made his first-team debut against Barnsley in April 2008 at the age of just 16 years and 59 days.

In total, he made 48 appearances and scored eight goals at The Valley before making the move to Anfield - and Gritt is convinced the 18-year-old has the potential to develop into a top-class footballer.

"Even before he made his debut, we knew Jonjo was a special player," he told LFC Weekly.

"He's the kind that only comes through an academy system once in a while. From a very young age, everybody at the club believed that he would progress to become a Premier League player because he had so much potential. Now I am certain he'll fulfil all that early promise.

"Maybe he got into the first team a bit quicker than we expected. Alan Pardew (Charlton's former manager) has to receive a lot of credit for plunging him in there when maybe some other managers wouldn't. But it was still up to Jonjo to go out and prove he was going to be a good player.

"The last few years have seen development in terms of height and strength. I'm sure he's still got a bit of weight to put on and when he does he'll have that Premier League presence that is a minimum requirement these days."

Shelvey's electric performances for Charlton saw him compared to Liverpool's very own talismanic star, Steven Gerrard.

While Gritt acknowledges the similarities, he admits the midfielder has some way to go before he can measure up to the Reds' captain.

"It has been said in the past, and I have to agree that he has a bit of Gerrard in him," he said.

"He can get box to box, he's got a very good range of passing and he can see an opportunity where others can't. He's the kind of player that if he sees a goalkeeper off his line 30-40 yards out, he's precocious enough to shoot.

"If he's got any faults, he'd probably admit that he's got to improve on the defensive side of the game. Because he's such an attacking player, naturally there are going to be aspects of his defensive game that he'll have to improve. I'm sure he will."

The move to Liverpool represents a big step on the ladder in Shelvey's career, but Gritt feels the move will help - rather than hinder - his progress.

He said: "The move to Liverpool will prove to him that he's a good player. I can't imagine Jonjo ever having doubts about his own ability because he's a very confident lad.

"But the move to Liverpool will help him understand his game more because playing with better players at a higher level can only improve him.

"I don't think anybody has seen the best of him yet and I'm hoping now to see him blossom into an established international player."

He added: "All things being well, Jonjo will become the fine player we all believe he can become at Liverpool and Charlton will make some extra money from his achievements. I'm confident he'll become a top-class player."

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/shelvey-reminds-me-of-stevie

Thats a brilliant video. From the little i have seen (just that video) he looks very similar to Stevie G so like i said, from the little i have seen, i disagree with Steve Claridge. Looks an exciting prospect.

Nice video,

Who does he think he is trying to lob the keeper?

Alonso

Watch the video and then reading the article I can see where he is coming from.

The way he runs with the ball and passes it does remind me of Gerrard.

Looks like we've got some potential here.

Fantastic video. Looks to have a good deal of potential, all action, box-to-box kind of player.

Watching the video it makes it easy to forget that he's 18. I think he's one who's going to get a few games in the EPL next season and train with the first team, rather than continue his development with the reserves.

Seems like Jonjo will be featuring with the 1st team next season.

Rafael Benitez has pledged to chase 'the best of British' as he looks to bolster his squad this summer.

The boss has already snapped up England youth international Jonjo Shelvey from Charlton, while promising homegrown talents such as Raheem Sterling have joined the Academy in recent months.

It is a trend Benitez is keen to continue in the future.

He said: "It is something that we have always tried to do. We tried to sign Gareth Barry, we did the same with Glen Johnson. That was always the idea.

"We have tried to bring in British players with the right mentality and the passion for the club.

"We want them to know what it means to play for Liverpool Football Club."

Shelvey cost the Reds £1.7m, though this could increase depending on domestic and international appearances.

The 18-year-old arrived at Melwood last week to meet his new teammates and get used to the surroundings ahead of next season, when he is likely to be thrust straight into the first-team squad.

Benitez added: "Shelvey is an addition like that (British and with the right mentality). We are trying to do what is best for the club. We have a long-term plan in place and we try to follow that."

Meanwhile, the gaffer remains confident of the quality within his current crop of players.

"This team has good players and we have a good team," he said. "We just had too many problems, too many injuries. We also had some difficulty dealing with expectation that everyone was thinking about us at the beginning of the season."

www.liverpoolfc.tv

Looks a good player in those video clips.

A bit obvious really but he'll only be a good acquisition if he gets picked and plays. Jonjo, like all our other "starlets", needs to be given a chance.

Age does not should not come into it - if he's good enough, he's old enough ....and if he's not good enough then why sign him?

Let's hope 2010/11 is the season that sees our youth being given a chance. Welcome Jonjo.

Any pics of him in a liverpool shirt?

How talls he, he looks fooking massive

Jonjo Shelvey V Brentford Match Compilation.

Jonjo Shelvey by MKB

Credits:- MilanKakaBaros

can't wait to see him play, looks like he is boss

Agree with bad boy. A year in the reserves with cup run appearances or out on loan to a prem team then we'll hopefully see the emergence of a quality player in 11/12 season.
Hopefully a sound investment and not another wasted prospect

I'm probably being a little impatient but it'd be nice to actually see him remain with in the squad, there'll be plenty of games where we can try out young talent this year, we'll be playing some pretty obscure teams in the Europa league. Our squad was pretty stretched at times last year, and we were lacking presence in the middle of the park on a number of occasions.

It's quite frustrating to see us sign these hotly tipped players and then never see their names on the bench, think you have to take risks and keep taking risks when bringing youngsters through. I hope this is something Hodgson will encourage within the squad, felt like we were longing for new faces last season such as the likes of Pacheco. I think we should take the risk and keep him with the squad, especially if we don't plan on bringing anymore established players this summer.

Personally Id throw him into all these friendlies see how he does. Even the on the bench for Europa Tie, or Start him, and take him off 2nd half, if it's not working.

I'm probably being a little impatient but it'd be nice to actually see him remain with in the squad, there'll be plenty of games where we can try out young talent this year, we'll be playing some pretty obscure teams in the Europa league. Our squad was pretty stretched at times last year, and we were lacking presence in the middle of the park on a number of occasions.

It's quite frustrating to see us sign these hotly tipped players and then never see their names on the bench, think you have to take risks and keep taking risks when bringing youngsters through. I hope this is something Hodgson will encourage within the squad, felt like we were longing for new faces last season such as the likes of Pacheco. I think we should take the risk and keep him with the squad, especially if we don't plan on bringing anymore established players this summer.

Excellent post sir.

Look forward to at least seeing him play some part in the game this weekend.

Not getting at Rafa but he never took the kind of risks that StevieG-force talks about, with the exception of maybe Robinson.

Personally, i can't wait to see him play. I read a lot about him before he started to be linked with the club and he is widely tipped to become the next big star. But, we have heard that too many times in the past year. I think, what with Roy planning on giving Englishmen a go in the squad, we may start to see a bit of Jonjo in pre-season. I can't wait.

Look forward to at least seeing him play some part in the game this weekend.

Me too. Hope he will get a good bit of game time!

Jonjo Shelvey has set a target of making at least 20 appearances for Liverpool next season - although joining the Reds still has not sunk in.

Shelvey, who completed his move to Anfield from Charlton at the end of last season, has been training with his new team-mates in Switzerland and the 18-year-old is confident he can make a swift impact for the Merseysiders.

"Being at Liverpool is what every kid dreams of," Shelvey told liverpoolfc.tv.

"When I was in school and in the playground I used to pretend to be players like Steven Gerrard, so it's unreal to think I'll be training with these players day in and day out.

"I'm really excited and can't wait for the season to start now. I want to get at least 20 games under my belt this season so I can start getting myself into it.

"I am confident, you have to be. When you are 18 years of age and you are getting thrown into games at Anfield then you can't have any fear. You have to go and do what you do."

Shelvey was Charlton's youngest ever player when he made his debut aged 16 years and 59 days in April 2008 and the England youth international is relishing the challenge of adapting to life at Liverpool.

"Obviously it's a different lifestyle compared to being at Charlton," he said.

"The training is harder, everyone is a top quality professional, so it's totally different. It's different but I'm enjoying it. It's hard but I'm coping with it and it's good to be here.

"It still hasn't really sunk in now that I could be playing in the Premier League week in and week out. It's unreal."

Having made his name at Charlton as a goalscoring midfielder, Shelvey is hoping to be in the thick of things at his new club.

"I'm an all-action player," Shelvey said.

"I can defend, although I'd rather be bombing on to score goals and create things.

"I used to play in the hole behind the striker at Charlton but I prefer to play in central midfield to dictate the play.

"From watching the Premier League on the television you seem to get a lot more time and space on the ball compared to League One and that will suit me.

"I just can't wait to show the fans what I can do."

"I'm an all-action player," Shelvey said.

"I can defend, although I'd rather be bombing on to score goals and create things.

"I used to play in the hole behind the striker at Charlton but I prefer to play in central midfield to dictate the play.


So effectively feels he can play anywhere. Good to see some confident players coming into our squad. Hopefully he gets a good run in pre-season, leading to cup runs and ultimately challenging for a start. Sounds like he has great potential to be a proper old school midfielder. Not holding. Not attacking. A midfielder who can do both, which we have lacked at times

"From watching the Premier League on the television you seem to get a lot more time and space on the ball compared to League One and that will suit me. "

Really?!?

"From watching the Premier League on the television you seem to get a lot more time and space on the ball compared to League One and that will suit me. "

Really?!?

I thought "Eh?" when I read that.