Liverpool have rejected a €25 million (£21.7 million) bid from Inter Milan for midfielder Curtis Jones, with the Premier League club maintaining a valuation of approximately €40 million (£35 million) as negotiations reach a stalemate.
The Serie A champions are working to secure the 25-year-old before their pre-season programme begins in mid-July, but Liverpool have additionally demanded a sell-on clause of between 10 and 15 per cent on any future transfer, further complicating discussions.
Heskey backs Serie A switch
Former Liverpool and England striker Emile Heskey has publicly supported Jones’s potential move to Italy, drawing a direct comparison with Scott McTominay’s successful transfer from Manchester United to Napoli. McTominay won the Scudetto and was named Serie A MVP in the 2024/25 season after his switch.
Speaking to Live Football Tickets, Heskey suggested Jones’s contract situation indicates an impending departure. “I would be very surprised if he was not pushing for a new contract,” he said. “So there is something that tells me they are not willing to offer him what he wants.”
Heskey added: “He aspires to become a regular starter for the England national team. He needs to play regularly, and I think he can become a regular for England, but he needs to play regularly at his club.”
Anfield exit increasingly likely
Jones is entering the final year of his Liverpool contract, which expires in 2027, and the academy graduate is now understood to be willing to leave his boyhood club in search of first-team football. This shift provides Inter with leverage as they attempt to bridge the financial gap.
New Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has made clear that Jones does not feature in his tactical plans for the upcoming campaign, instead prioritising moves for alternative midfield reinforcements including Elliott Anderson. This stance effectively places the England international on the transfer list.
Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio confirmed the club’s interest earlier this month, stating: “Jones is a player we’ve been paying attention to for some time. We tried to negotiate in January and we will try again.” Inter previously attempted to sign Jones on loan in January.
Liverpool teammate Federico Chiesa revealed that Jones has already sought information about life in Italy, telling La Gazzetta dello Sport that the midfielder asked him what it is like to live in the country.
Valuation deadlock
Despite the player’s desire to depart and his exclusion from Iraola’s project, Liverpool’s senior management are reportedly frustrated by Inter’s attempts to secure a cut-price deal. The roughly €15 million difference in valuations remains a significant obstacle.
Inter remain the frontrunners for Jones’s signature, but must substantially improve their offer to meet Liverpool’s demands. With the Italian club targeting completion before mid-July and the midfielder unlikely to feature at Anfield regardless, finding a resolution before the new season appears increasingly urgent for all parties.