Liverpool's Summer Rebuild: Curtis Jones Facing Exit
Liverpool’s summer rebuild is starting to come with a cost, and Curtis Jones is increasingly looking like the player who’ll be asked to pay it.
The club have already brought in three new faces, with Jeremy Jacquet, Ronald Araujo and Victor Munoz arriving to reshape the squad. Araujo, the headline addition so far, has joined on loan from Barcelona with an option to buy set at €55m, shoring up a defensive unit that badly needed depth.
With the back line reinforced, Liverpool have turned their attention to the flanks. PSG duo Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye are on the radar, and if both deals land, the knock-on effect could be significant. Cody Gakpo, already the subject of interest from Tottenham, would be far more expendable in that scenario.
Jones, though, is the name gathering the most momentum on the exit front.
Inter circle as Liverpool soften stance
The 25-year-old midfielder is into the final year of his contract. No talks are underway over an extension, and that silence is starting to sound like a decision.
Inter Milan have been on Jones for months. The Serie A champions tried to prise him away in January and have already seen two bids turned down this summer, the largest worth around €30m. At that stage, Liverpool were holding firm, valuing their academy product closer to €40m–€45m.
That position is shifting.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Inter now believe Liverpool will sell at €35m, roughly £30m. The Italian club still view Jones as a “priority target” and are convinced a deal at that lower figure is realistic.
There is, however, a catch. Inter will not move again until Davide Frattesi leaves.
Romano reports that there is “no green light” for a fresh bid while Frattesi remains on the books, but Inter “will definitely try again” for Jones before the window closes. The plan is clear: sell Frattesi, go hard for Jones.
And this is where Newcastle United step into the story.
Newcastle’s midfield hunt could unlock Jones deal
Newcastle are suddenly light in midfield after reluctantly cashing in on Bruno Guimaraes, who has joined Arsenal for £75m. That fee gives them power in the market, but not necessarily leverage with players.
They have already taken a hit to their pride. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has turned them down, and another long-standing target, Joao Palhinha, is on course to join Aston Villa instead. The shortlist is shrinking. The need is not.
So eyes have turned to Frattesi.
TEAMtalk revealed on Tuesday that Newcastle have been offered the 26-year-old Italy international. Inter, needing funds and a clear pathway to Jones, have set an asking price of €30m, about £26m.
For Newcastle, Frattesi represents something they now lack: a dynamic, top-level midfielder in his prime, available at a fee that doesn’t devour the Guimaraes money. For Inter, his sale is the key that could open the door to Anfield.
If Newcastle decide to move, the dominoes are obvious. Frattesi heads to Tyneside. Inter bank the fee and immediately reload with a new offer for Jones. Liverpool, already edging towards acceptance at £30m and facing the risk of losing him for nothing next year, finally cash in.
A local lad, a European champion club, a Premier League rival looking to rise again — three different ambitions, all tied to one decision on Tyneside.
