Inter Milan's Pursuit of Curtis Jones Hits a Wall

Inter Milan’s long pursuit of Curtis Jones has hit a wall – and Liverpool’s valuation is the brick.

The Serie A champions have admired the Liverpool midfielder for months, seeing an opportunity as he heads into the final year of his contract at Anfield. On paper, it looked like the perfect opening: a 25-year-old with Premier League pedigree, a year left on his deal, and a club willing to listen to offers rather than risk losing him for nothing next summer.

Reality has proved harsher.

A long courtship, one big problem

Inter first moved in January, testing the waters with a loan offer including an option to buy. Liverpool didn’t blink. The answer was an immediate no.

That didn’t kill the interest. Inter kept Jones on their list, kept the conversations going, and returned to the table in recent weeks with a permanent bid. Their latest offer – €25 million (around £21.7m) – was turned down, with Liverpool making it clear they rate the midfielder closer to £35m.

At that point, the gap stopped being theoretical and started becoming terminal.

Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio didn’t hide behind clichés when asked where things stand.

“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.”

For a director to describe a deal as “very difficult” at this stage of the window is as close as it gets to a public step back.

Liverpool’s stance and the market around Jones

Liverpool’s position is simple: final year or not, they will not sell Jones on the cheap. They see value in his age, his homegrown status and his experience in a side that has competed at the highest level. If a club wants to take him now, they will have to pay a fee that reflects that.

That stance has reshaped the market around him.

Nottingham Forest have looked at Jones as they search for midfield reinforcement, especially with Elliot Anderson set to join Manchester City in a deal worth £116m. Yet Jones is believed to have little interest in a move to Forest, cooling that avenue before it truly opened.

Elsewhere, Aston Villa and Arsenal have both been linked during the window. They are watching, assessing, waiting to see whether Liverpool’s price softens or Inter’s withdrawal sparks a change of dynamic.

For now, the numbers remain the same. Liverpool want closer to £35m. Inter will not go there.

A crossroads for player and clubs

Jones stands at a delicate point in his career. One year left, several suitors, and a club that is open to a sale but not a bargain. Inter saw him as a midfielder who could slot into Simone Inzaghi’s system and add technical quality between the lines. Liverpool see him as an asset whose value does not evaporate just because a contract ticks down.

The pressure usually tells somewhere in these stand-offs – on the player, on the selling club, or on the buyer. This time, it has landed squarely on Inter’s side of the table.

Unless someone blinks, Curtis Jones will start the season as a Liverpool player, with one question hanging over him and everyone involved: who will pay the price to finally unlock this move?