Inter Milan's Pursuit of Curtis Jones Faces Liverpool's High Valuation

Inter Milan have run straight into the brick wall of Liverpool’s valuation of Curtis Jones – and nobody in Italy can quite believe the numbers being quoted.

The Serie A champions have now seen two bids knocked back, even after the midfielder gave the green light to a move and effectively decided his Liverpool career is over.

Inter’s pursuit hits a hard ceiling

Inter first moved for Jones in January, holding talks over a possible deal that never quite materialised. The interest never cooled. If anything, it hardened. By the start of last week, they were ready to test Liverpool’s resolve properly.

An opening offer of around £18m (€21m, $24m) went in. Liverpool dismissed it in short order.

Inter came back again. The second proposal, roughly £21m (€24m, $28m), was structured as an improved package and reflected their belief that Jones’ contract situation should drag the fee down.

Liverpool still said no. The message from Anfield: the gap remains “significant”.

Jones, now 25 and into the final 12 months of his deal, has made it clear where he wants to be. His preference is Inter. His focus is San Siro. From his side, this is a summer to move, not to wait.

Liverpool dig in over homegrown value

Inside Liverpool, the stance is clear and unapologetic. They value Jones at around £35m (€40m, $46m) and are standing firm.

Club figures point to the current English market, swollen again by Manchester City’s readiness to commit more than £120m on Elliot Anderson, as proof that their price is not out of step. Homegrown English players cost more. That is the reality Liverpool are working off, and they see no reason to discount simply because Inter operate in a different economic climate.

They also stress that Jones is not a fringe player without pedigree. He is viewed as a footballer of real quality, one who still carries strong value despite the ticking clock on his contract.

Inter do not buy that argument.

From the Italian side, the logic is straightforward: Jones wants Italy, not another Premier League club. There is no domestic auction, no rival English bidder to inflate the fee. So why should Premier League inflation dictate the negotiation?

They also keep coming back to the contract. With only a year left, Inter believe Liverpool’s bargaining position is weaker than the Premier League side are willing to admit. To them, a “more realistic” valuation is not a negotiating ploy; it is the only way a deal happens.

Player and club pulling in different directions

Inside Jones’ camp, there is some sympathy with that view. Those close to the midfielder believe a fee below £30m (€34.5m, $46m) would strike a fair balance between his ability and his contractual reality.

That figure sits far closer to Inter’s thinking than Liverpool’s. It also reflects the player’s determination to move.

Jones is said to be genuinely excited by the prospect of joining the reigning Italian champions. Inter, with their recent domestic dominance and deep Champions League runs, look like the right stage for the next act of his career.

At Liverpool, the picture is less enticing. Jones started only 18 Premier League games in the 2025/26 season, and doubts linger over how naturally he fits into the high-intensity style favoured by new manager Andoni Iraola. He is well regarded at the club, but not ring-fenced as an automatic starter. Nobody inside Melwood is promising him a dramatically expanded role.

That reality has sharpened his resolve. If he is going to fight for minutes, he would rather do it in Milan than in a system that does not quite suit him.

A stand-off with no quick escape

Inter have not stumbled into this chase. They have tracked Jones for months, weighed up a move in January, and circled back with a clear plan in this window. They remain convinced the player wants the move and are prepared to keep pushing.

Liverpool are equally clear. They are open to selling, but not at a price they view as below market for a homegrown academy graduate. Letting one of their own leave on the cheap does not sit comfortably with the hierarchy.

So the stalemate holds. The difference in valuation is still large, the positions entrenched, the frustration visible on all sides.

Yet the door is not closed. With Jones committed to the idea of Inter and the Nerazzurri intent on landing him, further talks are expected as both clubs test just how far they are willing to bend.

And while this saga plays out, Liverpool are already braced for more upheaval, with at least one more high-profile exit on the table and another of Arne Slot’s trusted figures attracting serious attention from Tottenham.