Inter Milan Pursues Curtis Jones as Liverpool Negotiations Heat Up

Inter Milan’s interest in Curtis Jones has moved from background noise to a steady drumbeat, and the midfielder now looks increasingly prepared to dance to their tune.

The Serie A champions have tracked Jones since January, testing Liverpool’s resolve with a series of bids. Their latest offer, around €25million, was knocked back, with Liverpool holding firm on a valuation closer to €35m / £30m for their academy product. Inter initially dug in, insisting they would not go higher for a player entering the final 12 months of his contract.

That stance is softening.

Intermediaries have kept the talks alive and are now working on a new proposal in the region of €30m, a structure designed to finally crack Liverpool’s resistance. Inside Anfield, there is a growing sense that such a figure could yet bring a compromise, if the negotiations keep moving in the current direction.

Iraola wants clarity, not a saga

New Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola is a firm admirer of Jones. The midfielder is a symbol of the club’s academy pathway, a player who knows the demands of Anfield and the rhythm of the Premier League.

Iraola would happily keep him.

But he also does not want his first transfer window overshadowed by a long-running will-he-won’t-he saga. Those close to the situation say that if a sale is going to happen, Iraola has been clear: get it done early. No late-window drama. No scramble in the final days to find a replacement.

The player’s stance is just as important. Jones is understood to be open to the move. Contract talks with Liverpool are not on the table right now, a telling detail that only sharpens the sense that this summer may be the right moment for both sides to walk away.

A pre-season flashpoint

His future was already under the microscope. Then came Wrexham.

After Liverpool’s recent pre-season win over the Welsh side, an on-field disagreement involving Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai and Kostas Tsimikas drew attention. The flashpoint came at full-time, when Szoboszlai, wearing the armband, was substituted and passed the captaincy to Tsimikas rather than Jones.

Those close to the club say Jones was frustrated by the decision. Liverpool sources insist the incident is not being treated as a major issue inside the dressing room, more a brief flare-up in the heat of competition than a sign of deeper division.

But in a summer already thick with speculation, moments like that rarely drift quietly into the background. They feed the narrative. They raise questions. They give watching clubs a sense that the door might just be ajar.

Inter sense their moment

Inter certainly do. Having already secured John Stones, they believe the timing is perfect to strike again in the English market and land a second England international before the window closes.

From their perspective, the pieces are aligning: a player open to a new challenge, a coach who wants clarity, a club that may be ready to cash in at the right price, and a minor public flashpoint that only intensifies the spotlight.

Liverpool still hold the cards. Jones remains a valuable asset, both financially and tactically, and they know it. Inter, though, are edging closer to a number that could finally bring Liverpool to the table in earnest.

If that happens, the next time Curtis Jones walks out to the Champions League anthem, it may not be in red at Anfield, but in the black and blue of San Siro.