Curtis Jones Chooses Inter Milan Over Liverpool

Curtis Jones has made his choice. Now Liverpool and Inter Milan have to make the numbers work.

The England international has privately accepted that his Anfield story is nearing its final chapter and has committed to joining the Serie A champions, with only a gap in valuation stopping the deal from being signed off.

Jones picks Inter – and Italy

At 25, with his contract running into its final year, Jones has reached the crossroads of his Liverpool career. Premier League interest has not been in short supply: Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest have all checked in on his availability in recent months, sensing an opportunity around his situation.

They were told, in effect, to stand down.

Jones has made it clear to those close to him that his priority is a move to Inter. He wants a first taste of football abroad, and he wants it in Milan, at San Siro, with the Scudetto holders.

That personal decision has set the tone. Inter know the player is on board. Liverpool know it too. The negotiation now is about price, not persuasion.

A €5m gap and a hardening stance

Inter have so far put around €25m (£21m) on the table. Liverpool are holding out for closer to €30m (£25m), a figure they believe better reflects Jones’ quality, experience and age despite his contract ticking down.

From Inter’s side, the logic is straightforward: a player in the final year of his deal should not command a premium. They feel Liverpool’s hand is weakened and are resisting any major increase on their offer.

Liverpool see it very differently.

The club have already been burned by high-profile free departures. Ibrahima Konate and Trent Alexander-Arnold have both walked away at the end of their contracts in the last 12 months, and the message from within Anfield is clear – that cannot become a pattern.

So the Reds are pushing hard for a fee that sits closer to their valuation, even if the reality of modern transfer bargaining means some compromise may eventually be needed to get the move over the line.

Chiesa’s influence and life in Serie A

Inside the Liverpool dressing room, Jones has not been short of advice. Federico Chiesa, who has already trodden the Serie A path with Juventus before joining Liverpool, has played his part in nudging the midfielder towards Italy.

Chiesa has spoken positively about the league, the lifestyle and, crucially, what Inter would be getting if they manage to close the deal.

“Jones just asked me what life is like in Italy. I told him it’s great and the weather is better than Liverpool, which, aside from that, is a special place.

“Jones is really strong technically. Inter are right to think about him.”

Those words, delivered to Gazzetta dello Sport, echo a growing sense across Europe that Jones’ future now lies at San Siro. The player wants the move. Inter want the player. Liverpool want the right fee.

Liverpool plan for life after Jones

Inside the club, there is an acceptance that, while Liverpool would once have preferred to build a longer-term midfield around Jones, the timing and the player’s ambition have shifted.

Talks with Inter remain active, and there is a genuine optimism on all sides that a compromise can be found before the window closes. The deal is not done, but it is moving.

New head coach Andoni Iraola is already deep into his midfield planning as part of a broader squad rebuild. Liverpool have been assessing multiple options to reshape the centre of the pitch, knowing that losing Jones would open both a squad space and a tactical opportunity.

For Jones, the equation is simpler. He is focused on turning intention into reality: trading Merseyside for Milan, Anfield for San Siro, and joining the growing list of English players willing to test themselves in Serie A.

The commitment is there. The will is there. Now the outcome rests on whether €5m is enough to keep a club icon-in-the-making or to send him chasing a new stage under the lights of Milan.