Liverpool's Shift on Curtis Jones Amid Gakpo Exit Rumors

Liverpool’s summer rebuild is edging towards a ruthless phase. One key midfielder is now firmly in the shop window, and a forward in his prime could follow him out of Anfield before the month is out.

The noise on Merseyside has largely centred on the chase for wide players, with Bradley Barcola sitting at the top of Liverpool’s winger shortlist. If the club land the PSG man and add another wide option, Cody Gakpo has been told he can complete a move to Tottenham.

The Dutch forward has already agreed personal terms with Spurs. All that’s missing is the green light between the clubs and the right sequence of incomings at Anfield.

While that saga simmers, another one has suddenly accelerated.

Inter clear the decks for Jones

Inter Milan’s interest in Curtis Jones has never really gone away. The 25-year-old was their main midfield target back in January and, despite repeated knock-backs, he remains the name at the top of their list.

The Serie A champions have already seen multiple offers rejected this summer, including a package worth around €30m (£26m). Liverpool held out for closer to €40m (£34m) and made it clear they would not be bullied into a sale.

Inter, though, refused to walk away. They simply had to create space.

Fabrizio Romano had outlined the situation bluntly: Inter would not return with a new bid until Davide Frattesi left the club. No exit, no fresh offer for Jones.

That obstacle has now gone.

Romano delivered his trademark “here we go” on Frattesi’s move to Lazio earlier in the week, and on Friday he laid out the numbers: an initial €5m loan, a €10m buy option, and a 50% sell-on clause retained by Inter. It’s a creative deal, but crucially, it frees up room in Simone Inzaghi’s squad and on the balance sheet.

With Frattesi out and Lazio in, one major condition for a renewed push for Jones is in place. The other? That depended entirely on Liverpool.

Liverpool drop the price

Liverpool have now blinked.

Romano reported that Inter still view Jones as their priority target and “now feel deal could happen” at a fee of around €35m (£30m). That figure has quickly been echoed on Merseyside.

The Liverpool Echo revealed on Saturday that the club will now accept €35m / £30m for the academy graduate, down from the previous demand of £34m. Talks with Inter had stalled in recent weeks, but that revised valuation has reopened the door and raised the prospect of a breakthrough before the window shuts.

For Liverpool, it is a significant shift. Jones is not a fringe player winding down his career; he is 25, entering what should be his peak years, and has grown into a trusted part of the squad. Dropping the price by around £4m signals a willingness to deal if Inter move quickly and decisively.

For Inter, it’s the moment they have been waiting for. Their long pursuit now has a clear price tag and a clean path, with Frattesi gone and the fee within reach.

As Liverpool chase new width in attack and brace for Gakpo’s possible switch to Tottenham, the next decisive phone call may not be about a winger at all. It may be the one that sends Curtis Jones to San Siro and underlines just how bold this Anfield rebuild is prepared to be.