Inter Milan continues to show interest in Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones. The Italian side has indicated through intermediaries a willingness to offer up to 35m euros (£29.9m) for the player. This follows a verbal offer of 25m euros (£21.7m) made last month, which Liverpool rejected. The Merseyside club reportedly values Jones at a minimum of £35m.
Liverpool, under head coach Andoni Iraola, is reportedly unwilling to sanction a cut-price exit for the 25-year-old midfielder. Jones has one year remaining on his current contract. Despite Liverpool‘s stance, Inter remains keen on bringing Jones to Milan, suggesting that Liverpool‘s resolve may be tested with further bids.
Transfer discussions and player valuation
Reports suggest that Inter had a €25million (£21.7m) bid rejected in June, followed by a €32m offer that was also turned down. Liverpool has communicated that they are aiming for a fee closer to €40m (£34.3m). The club’s valuation is thought to be influenced by the fee Tottenham paid for Conor Gallagher in January, which was €40m.
Sources briefed on discussions, speaking anonymously, indicated that Inter is willing to pay €35m for Jones, though this still falls short of Liverpool‘s perceived worth of the midfielder. Senior figures at Liverpool have reportedly stated a preference to lose Jones for free in 2027 rather than approve his departure for a price below their valuation. There are currently no active discussions regarding a new contract for Jones, although Liverpool would be open to exploring a new deal if a mutual agreement on expectations could be reached.
Inter had previously attempted to sign Jones in the January transfer window, proposing a loan deal with an option to buy, which Liverpool rejected. Jones, a product of Liverpool‘s Kirkby academy, made his first-team debut for the club as a 17-year-old in January 2019. Since then, he has made 228 appearances for the club, scoring 22 goals and providing 25 assists. He has been part of teams that have won the Premier League twice, the FA Cup, and the Carabao Cup twice.
Recent squad developments
Jones was recently involved in a heated discussion with Dominik Szoboszlai following Liverpool‘s 1-0 friendly victory over Wrexham in New York. The disagreement appeared to stem from Szoboszlai handing the captain’s armband to Kostas Tsimikas instead of Jones. The three players were seen walking together as the squad acknowledged fans, with Tsimikas reportedly throwing the armband to the ground as the discussion intensified. Jones and Szoboszlai continued their animated argument on the pitch as they headed back to the changing rooms, with Jeremie Frimpong attempting to mediate.
Despite the incident, Jones and Szoboszlai were observed to be in good spirits during Liverpool‘s open training session in Chicago on Friday. Jones is entering the final year of his contract and may be considering a move to secure a first-choice position, as he is currently behind players like Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, and Alexis Mac Allister in the midfield pecking order at Anfield.
In other squad news, Jeremy Jacquet, who Liverpool signed from Rennes in a deal worth £60m, was absent from the training session in Chicago. He was instead in the gym, continuing his recovery from a shoulder injury sustained in February. Earlier in the tour, coach Iraola had suggested that Jacquet, 21, would be fit to play against Leeds on Sunday in their final match before returning home, but this now appears unlikely.
More positive news for Liverpool includes Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, and Ryan Gravenberch all training with the squad. The trio joined up earlier in the week and are expected to feature in the upcoming match on Sunday.
Inter recently completed a deal to sign free agent John Stones on Thursday.
Source: bbc.com
As News-UK's Sports News Writer, Oscar Pennington reports on rugby union, golf and boxing for readers across the country. He built a reputation for sharp explainer pieces on regional sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Oscar lives in Nottingham, where he follows the pro golf tour and amateur boxing. “Context is what turns a result into a story.”
