Liverpool's Curtis Jones: Transfer Uncertainty Amid Inter Milan's Interest
Liverpool’s summer has been noisy without actually being busy. Three signings through the door, a new name linked almost daily, and yet the real story might be about a midfielder heading out rather than one coming in.
And that midfielder is Curtis Jones.
Inter’s midfield shuffle drags Newcastle – and Liverpool – into the mix
Liverpool’s recruitment team have been circling Paris Saint-Germain pair Ibrahim Mbaye and Bradley Barcola, but the gap between PSG’s price tags and Liverpool’s valuation has frozen any serious progress. The market has stalled for the Reds. Other clubs are moving.
Inter Milan certainly are.
According to TEAMtalk, the Serie A champions have offered Davide Frattesi and Aleksandar Stankovic to Newcastle United as part of a broader reshaping of their midfield. The key detail for Liverpool: that reshuffle is designed to clear the way – and the funds – for a move for Jones.
“Newcastle United have been offered the chance to sign Inter Milan midfielder Davide Frattesi after also enquiring about highly-rated youngster Aleksandar Stankovic,” TEAMtalk report, adding that intermediaries have informed Newcastle of Frattesi’s availability.
Frattesi, 26, has been told he can leave Inter this summer. The club value the Italy international at around €30m (£26m / $35m). Juventus have already shown interest, but Newcastle have now been alerted that he is on the market as they search for a replacement for Bruno Guimaraes, having failed to land Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Marseille.
Frattesi is understood to be open to a move to England. Newcastle, meanwhile, have also asked about Stankovic. If either or both deals land, Inter would have both the squad space and financial room they want to push hard for Jones.
And that is where Liverpool’s plans could unravel.
Jones: undervalued asset, uncertain future
Inside Anfield, Jones is the name most likely to depart this summer. His contract is running into its final year and, crucially, there are no talks under way about an extension. That silence has fuelled the sense that an exit is not just possible, but probable.
The problem for Liverpool is timing and price.
With only 12 months left on his deal, Jones will not command the fee he might have fetched a year ago. The club’s valuation remains a sticking point in any negotiations, yet Inter’s intent appears clear: they “remain determined to bring [him] to the San Siro,” as TEAMtalk put it.
If Inter cash in on Frattesi, they would have more than enough to meet Liverpool’s demands for Jones. At that point, the decision shifts from theoretical to brutally real. Do Liverpool cash in on a homegrown midfielder now, or risk losing him for far less – or nothing – down the line?
A risky hole in Liverpool’s ‘strongest’ area
On paper, midfield is Liverpool’s deepest department. Names stack up quickly. But the picture is not quite as comfortable as it looks.
Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister struggled to hit their best levels last season. Form dipped, performances wavered, and the sense of control that used to define Liverpool’s midfield often went missing. That makes Jones more than just another squad player; he is a stylistic fit and a known quantity.
From Andoni Iraola’s perspective, losing him now would be far from ideal.
Jones suits the high-energy, front-foot football the Spaniard wants. He can press, carry the ball, and link play – all while offering tactical flexibility. With Iraola admitting his side are short of full fitness, Liverpool will need reliable rotation options. Jones is exactly that.
Take him out, and Liverpool are forced back into the market for yet another midfielder, at a stage of the window when prices harden and options narrow. The knock-on effect is obvious: any sale would immediately reshape their transfer priorities, dragging attention away from other areas of the squad that also need work.
Trust, minutes, and a crossroads
There is another layer. Jones’ own trust in the project.
He is understood to have been frustrated after Arne Slot failed to give him regular minutes last term. When a player feels sidelined and the contract clock is ticking, loyalty weakens. Even a perfect tactical fit can decide it is time to go.
So Liverpool stand at an awkward crossroads. Keep a player who may not want to stay and risk losing him cheaply later, or sell now and rip open a hole in the one area of the pitch that looked relatively secure.
Inter are waiting. Newcastle are weighing up their options. The dominoes are lined up.
If Frattesi moves and the money lands in Milan, the next call could be to Anfield – and then we find out just how much Liverpool really value Curtis Jones in the new era.
