Curtis Jones Set for Inter Milan Move

Curtis Jones has made his choice. Now Liverpool and Inter Milan are the ones stuck at the table, shuffling numbers and holding their nerve.

The 25-year-old midfielder has accepted that his Liverpool story is nearing its final chapter and, according to sources, has already committed to joining the Serie A champions. For him, the next step is clear: San Siro, a new league, a new life, and the first taste of football abroad.

The problem is the price.

A player decided, a deal delayed

Interest in Jones has not been in short supply. Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest have all checked in over recent months, sounding out the possibility of keeping him in the Premier League. Those clubs have been told, directly or indirectly, the same thing: his preference is Inter.

He wants Italy. He wants Inter.

That clarity from the player has sharpened the situation. Inter know they are his first choice. Liverpool know they are negotiating with a club that holds the player’s heart, if not yet his wallet. And between them sits a valuation gap that neither side has been willing to erase.

Inter have gone to around €25m (£21m). Liverpool are holding out for €30m (£25m), a figure they believe reflects his quality and experience, even with just a year left on his contract. For the Italian champions, that final 5 million is the sticking point.

Contract clock and Liverpool’s scars

Inter’s stance is simple: Jones is entering the final year of his deal. In their eyes, that weakens Liverpool’s position and strengthens their own. Why pay top dollar now for a player who could walk for nothing in 12 months?

Liverpool see it differently, and recent history explains why.

In the last year, they have watched Ibrahima Konate and Trent Alexander-Arnold leave on free transfers. Two major assets gone with no fee, only regret. Those departures have left scars in the boardroom and shaped the club’s approach to any player approaching the end of a contract.

They are determined not to let it happen again.

So Liverpool are pushing hard for a fee closer to their valuation. There is an acceptance that compromise may be needed to get the deal done, but not at the expense of repeating what they regard as costly mistakes.

Chiesa’s influence and the pull of Serie A

Behind the scenes, the move has had a powerful advocate. Federico Chiesa, who knows Serie A inside out and now shares a dressing room with Jones, has been quietly nudging him towards Italy.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Chiesa revealed that Jones had asked about life there. The answer was glowing: the lifestyle, the weather, the rhythm of the league. Chiesa also gave a clear verdict on the player himself, describing Jones as “really strong technically” and insisting Inter are right to target him.

Those words echo a wider expectation within the game: that Jones’ future now lies at San Siro. The move feels less like a possibility and more like an inevitability waiting on a signature and a compromise.

Liverpool plan for life after Jones

Inside Liverpool, there is no sense of surprise that Jones is pushing for a new challenge. Earlier in his career, the club would have preferred to build around him, to see whether he could fully blossom at Anfield. Now, with a new manager and a squad in transition, the mood has shifted.

Under Andoni Iraola, Liverpool’s midfield plans are already well advanced. The club have been assessing multiple reinforcements as part of a broader rebuild. In that context, Jones’ departure is less a shock and more a piece of a larger puzzle.

Talks with Inter remain active. There is optimism on both sides that a middle ground can be found, even if it takes time and brinkmanship to get there.

For Jones, the equation is far simpler. His focus is on completing the move, swapping Merseyside for Milan and joining the growing group of English players willing to step outside the Premier League bubble.

He has made his decision. Now it is up to Liverpool and Inter to decide how much that decision is worth.