Why Dundee signed Callum Jones as Xabi Alonso inspiration revealed.

The 24-year-old has signed a two-year contract with the Dark Blues. George Cran According to Dundee manager Steven Pressley, the club cannot sign ready-made replacements for Lyall Cameron.

Instead, they must seek out hidden gems that require polishing to fill the void left by the Scotland U/21 star. That is what they intend to do with Callum Jones, a 24-year-old former Welsh youth international.

Jones has signed a two-year contract with Dens Park after being released from Hull City last season. He’s determined to kickstart his career after several loan spells with the Tigers, and Pressley believes Jones will make Dundee his home.

Stevie G and Xabi Alonso

Jones made his senior football debut with Welsh champions The New Saints and was called up to the Wales U/18s.

He went on to play once for the U/20s, alongside Dundee defender Ryan Astley, against an England side that included Aston Villa star Jacob Ramsey.

After playing for TNS’s local rivals Oswestry Town and then Bury, Hull City came calling. Jones, who was born in Birkenhead, compared his playing style to that of his Liverpool idols, Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso.

“I’d like to say (I play like) someone like Gerrard, the idol, but I would say more like a Xabi Alonso,” said the Liverpool forward in 2019. “Does it simple but can do the hard stuff and the dirty stuff like winning the ball back and the long-range passing and shooting.”

Jones, though, wasn’t able to break into the Hull first-team despite signing two contract extensions. He did make 11 appearances in total and captained a youthful Tigers side in an EFL Trophy win over Harrogate Town.

He scored from the spot in that one with now-St Mirren forward James Scott netting the other goal.

Ups and downs on loan

The midfielder’s first loan spell with Morecambe was a success. Jones, described as “fantastic” by manager Stephen Robinson, was recalled by Hull in January after making 18 appearances and scoring twice.

He was Trevor Carson’s teammate for a brief period of time, playing one FA Cup match away at Tottenham. After playing twice for Hull in the Championship, he joined National League Grimsby on a short-term loan, but was unable to play for a third EFL club that season.

Jones then signed Duncan Ferguson on loan at Forest Green Rovers, only to see the former Dundee United player fired five days later.

The midfielder was unable to prevent their relegation from League Two.

However, a broken leg suffered in August had a significant impact on the season. “I’m gutted for him, gutted for us because he was a big player for us, technically a really strong player,” caretaker manager David Horseman said after learning of the injury in 2023.

The same fate befell Morecambe last season, when he spent the campaign on loan with the Shrimps as they were relegated to the National League under Derek Adams.

Jones, who describes himself as a player who likes to dictate possession, demonstrated his strength last season by winning tackles and duels, making interceptions, recovering possession, and winning the ball back in the final third.

On the ball, his strengths included accurate long passes and on-target shots from midfield. But what did Dundee see in Jones that led to his seventh capture of the summer?

Why have Dundee made their move?

“The first thing is that it’s not easy to replace the two who left (Lyall Cameron and Josh Mulligan),” Pressley, the coach, said.

“Financially, we cannot go out and sign ready-made replacements for them. “Look at Jones. He’s 24 years old. Callum is currently at a very good age. “He’s had several loans. He’s completed a lot of his foundational work.

“We’ve seen enough in his performances in the areas and profiles that we’re looking for to believe that, with his experience, he’s now at the age where he’s ready to go. “And I believe that is where we are with our recruitment.

“We cannot sign a ready-made replacement for Lyall Cameron.” “We can’t do that, but we need to sign players who haven’t quite figured it all out yet. “We’ve seen the qualities we’re looking for, and they’re at the right age to really shine. “Callum has a lot of the qualities we’ve been looking for in a player.”

“And with our support and at the age he’s at, we hope he can start putting them all together here.”

‘Aspect we really need’

Pressley added: “He’s a technically sound midfielder with real athleticism and dynamism in his play. “He’ll provide excellent running power in the middle of the pitch. And we believe that is an important aspect.

“I also sense that he has been desperately looking for a home, a stable home where he can really advance his career. “Being at a football club helps you feel wanted and stable. That is when you perform your best, and loan transactions are difficult in that regard.

“But within those loan deals, I’ve saw a lot of the things that I really have been looking for in a midfield player.” Jones is set to make his Dundee debut this weekend at Recreation Park, when the Dark Blues face a crucial League Cup tie at Alloa Athletic.

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