Liverpool's Summer Transfer Dilemma: Curtis Jones at Risk

Liverpool’s summer has been noisy without actually being busy.

Three signings through the door, a fresh name linked almost every day, and yet the squad still feels short in key areas. The club are circling wide options like Ibrahim Mbaye and Bradley Barcola, but a hard clash in valuations with Paris Saint-Germain has left everything on pause.

While Liverpool hesitate, other clubs are moving – and that could blow a hole in Andoni Iraola’s plans.

Inter’s midfield shuffle drags Newcastle – and Liverpool – into the mix

In Italy, Inter Milan are quietly rearranging their midfield pieces. In England, Newcastle United are hunting for one.

TEAMtalk report that intermediaries have offered Newcastle the chance to sign Inter midfielder Davide Frattesi, with the Magpies also enquiring about highly rated youngster Aleksandar Stankovic. Newcastle need a replacement after Bruno Guimaraes’ departure and have already missed out on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who has left Marseille after his loan from Tottenham.

Frattesi has now been put firmly in their sights. According to the report, the 26-year-old Italy international has been told he can leave this summer as Inter look to create space – and funds – for a move for Liverpool’s Curtis Jones, a player they are said to be determined to bring to San Siro.

Inter value Frattesi at around €30 million (£26m / $35m). Juventus have also shown interest, but Newcastle have been informed he is available and Frattesi is believed to be open to a move to England, having attracted Premier League attention in the past.

The picture is clear: if Inter can cash in on Frattesi, and potentially Stankovic, they would be in a stronger position to go after Jones. That is where Liverpool’s summer could twist.

Jones: contract ticking down, future wide open

Inside Anfield, Curtis Jones is the one senior midfielder most widely expected to leave.

He is into the final year of his contract. There are no active talks over an extension. That combination almost always points one way. With only 12 months left on his deal, Liverpool know any fee they receive will fall short of what they believe he is worth at his peak.

Right now, that valuation is the main obstacle to a deal. Inter’s interest is real enough, but the numbers have to work. Their attempt to move on Frattesi is part of that equation. If Newcastle, or another club, step up and pay, Inter suddenly have both the space in their squad and the budget to test Liverpool’s resolve on Jones.

At that point, Liverpool’s transfer plan changes overnight. A window that has been focused on wide areas and depth in attack would be forced back towards the centre of the pitch.

Iraola’s headache: losing the midfielder who fits him best

On paper, Liverpool’s midfield is the most crowded department in Iraola’s squad. In reality, it is the most uncertain.

Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister struggled to convince across last season. The unit never fully settled. Performances dipped, combinations shifted, and the sense of control Liverpool once took for granted in big games often vanished.

That is why Jones matters. He offers control in tight spaces, can press, can carry the ball and recycle it at tempo – traits that align neatly with Iraola’s aggressive, high-energy style. In a team that the Spaniard has already admitted is not yet fully fit, a player like Jones becomes even more valuable. Heavy legs mean more substitutions, more rotation, more reliance on those who can slot in and keep the structure intact.

Letting him go now would rip out a piece of that puzzle just as Iraola is trying to assemble it.

There is another layer. Jones’ own relationship with the club has taken a hit. After Arne Slot failed to give him the minutes he expected last term, trust has eroded. That kind of frustration can harden quickly when a player sees a clear path to a fresh start abroad, especially at a club of Inter’s stature.

So Liverpool stand at a crossroads: a manager who would like to keep a midfielder tailored to his style, a player who may no longer feel valued, and a European giant ready to move if they can offload one of their own.

The window still has time to run. Deals collapse, valuations soften, minds change. But if Inter cash in on Frattesi and come calling for Jones with serious money, will Liverpool hold their nerve – or rip up their summer blueprint and start again in midfield?