Inter Milan's Curtis Jones Pursuit Stalls as Liverpool Holds Firm
Inter Milan’s long flirtation with Curtis Jones is running into a familiar problem: Liverpool’s valuation isn’t budging, and the Italians are backing away.
The Serie A champions have tracked the midfielder for months, sensing an opportunity as he moves into the final year of his deal at Anfield. Liverpool are open to a sale rather than risk losing the 25-year-old for nothing next summer. That should spell leverage for buyers. It hasn’t.
Inter tested the waters in January with a loan offer including an option to buy. Liverpool shut that down immediately. The interest from Milan never really cooled, though, and talks have continued in recent weeks as Jones edged closer to the final 12 months of his contract.
The first concrete bid arrived: €25 million, around £21.7m. Liverpool said no. Their price is closer to £35m, and they have shown no sign of blinking.
On Tuesday, Inter’s sporting director Piero Ausilio admitted the gap is simply too wide.
“I’ve never denied that we like Curtis Jones,” he said. “He has the qualities that could give us something extra. But there’s a significant gap between our valuation and Liverpool’s.
“Liverpool have every right to ask for what they believe is a fair price, and we have every right to decide whether that works for us or not. As things stand, I’d say it’s very difficult.”
Those are the words of a club stepping back from the table.
For Inter, Jones was seen as a technical, press-resistant option who could freshen up their midfield without breaking their wage structure. For Liverpool, he is still viewed as a homegrown asset entering his prime years, and they are pricing him accordingly despite his contract situation.
The stalemate leaves Jones in a curious position. His future at Anfield is uncertain, but one of his most persistent suitors is now effectively ruling themselves out unless Liverpool soften their stance.
Nottingham Forest have also been in the frame as they look to reinforce their midfield after agreeing to sell Elliot Anderson to Manchester City for £116m. Jones, though, is believed to have little interest in a move to Forest, limiting Liverpool’s options in the Premier League’s middle tier.
Higher up the table, Aston Villa and Arsenal have both been linked with the Liverpool man during the window. Neither has yet tested Liverpool’s resolve in the way Inter have, but the market knows the numbers now. The benchmark is clear: somewhere near £35m, or Liverpool are prepared to keep him.
Inter’s pursuit may not be completely dead, but Ausilio’s public stance leaves the ball firmly in Liverpool’s court. Either the Premier League club recalibrate their demands, or another suitor steps up and pays the price.
For Jones, with a pivotal year ahead and his next move likely to define the peak of his career, the question is simple: who believes he’s worth Liverpool’s figure—and who actually proves it?
