Liverpool just told Inter Milan what they can do with their latest offer for Curtis Jones. The answer is no, and the gap between the two clubs is still pretty wide.
Inter came in with roughly €25 million for the 25-year-old midfielder. Liverpool shot it down and made their position clear: they want around €40 million, which works out to about £35 million. On top of that, they’re asking for a sell-on clause between 10 and 15 percent if they ever move him again.
According to The Times and confirmed by Fabrizio Romano, the Reds aren’t budging on that number. And they’re a little irritated that Inter keeps trying to get a discount when they’ve been pretty upfront about what it’ll take.
Why Inter Still Feels Confident
Here’s the thing though. Inter has two big factors working in their favor.
First, Jones wants out of Liverpool. He’s made that clear. Second, new Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has told Jones he’s not part of the plan going forward. Iraola is looking to bring in a different kind of midfielder — Elliott Anderson is one name that’s come up — and Jones just doesn’t fit what he wants to do.
So you’ve got a player who wants to leave and a coach who doesn’t want him. That usually means a deal gets done eventually, even if the numbers don’t line up right now.
The Clock Is Ticking
Inter has a self-imposed deadline here. They want this wrapped up before their preseason starts in mid-July. That gives both sides about three weeks to figure out if they can meet somewhere in the middle.
Right now they’re about €15 million apart. That’s not nothing, but it’s also not the kind of gap that kills deals in soccer. It’s the kind of gap that gets closed with add-ons, performance bonuses, and a little bit of stubbornness wearing down on both sides.
Jones has been at Liverpool since he was a kid, coming up through the academy. He’s made over 150 appearances for the club. But if Iraola doesn’t see him as a starter, and the player wants regular minutes somewhere else, a move makes sense for everyone involved.
Inter sees him as a good fit for their midfield, especially with the kind of tempo they play in Serie A. Jones can carry the ball, he works hard defensively, and he’s still young enough that his best years might be ahead of him.
Whether those best years happen at the San Siro or somewhere else depends on whether these two clubs can get past the money part. That part is still stuck.
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