Liverpool’s Curtis Jones became embroiled in a heated exchange with team-mate Dominik Szoboszlai after a 1-0 win over Wrexham at Yankee Stadium on Thursday. As the squad crossed the pitch to applaud supporters, Jones and Szoboszlai argued, with Kostas Tsimikas later joining the confrontation.
The cause of the dispute is unclear. During the match, when Szoboszlai was substituted, he passed the captain’s armband to Tsimikas rather than Jones, and during the argument Tsimikas was seen throwing the armband to the ground.
Earlier this summer, Liverpool rejected a £21.7m bid from Inter Milan for Jones. The 25-year-old is entering the final year of his contract. Manager Andoni Iraola has said he rates Jones highly and wants him to remain at the club.
Liverpool conclude their North American pre-season tour on Sunday (21:00 BST) against Leeds in Chicago.
Asked about the incident, Szoboszlai declined to give details but said the squad is united, will follow captain Virgil van Dijk and the head coach, and is focused on success. He added that with a new manager and changes to the team, progress may take time, but he believes it will pay off in the long term.
Club sources say such disagreements are common in elite environments and only occurred publicly because the players were on a lap of honour.