Report: European giants set push again for Liverpool midfielder

Report: European giants set push again for Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones to Inter Milan leaves Liverpool with a decision to make Inter Milan have not gone away. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Serie A champions still see Curtis Jones as a priority midfield target once other business is finished. Liverpool, for their part, have made their position clear enough already. Two bids have been rejected, the latest worth about £21 million, and the asking price sits closer to £40 million. That gap is not trivial. It tells you how Liverpool value Jones, even with his contract running down toward its final 12 months. It also tells you Inter are trying to buy a Premier League-trained, homegrown midfielder at a discount because of the contract situation. Clubs do this all the time. Sometimes it works. Sometimes the selling club digs in. Piero Ausilio has at least been open about it. He said: “I have never denied our interest in this lad; we also tried in January. I must be just as honest though: we like him, he is a player who certainly has the characteristics that could potentially add something extra to our midfield, which is already very strong. “However, at the moment there is quite a significant gap between the valuation we have and Liverpool’s. Since he is a Liverpool player, he has every right to ask for what he legitimately wants, but we have every right to say whether it works for us or not, so right now I would say it’s a very difficult deal.” Inter Milan interest remains live The key point in this Curtis Jones story is simple. Inter still want him. The Italian side reportedly plan to return once they complete a move for Anan Khalaili from Union Saint-Gilloise. That means this is not idle noise. It is an active pursuit, paused rather than dropped. Jones does fit what Inter usually look for in midfield. He is technically secure, physically capable and experienced at a high level. He is also 25, which should be the age when a player settles into his prime rather than still being discussed as a prospect. Liverpool contract dilemma grows For Liverpool, this becomes a contract-management issue as much as a football one. Jones is one of eight senior players moving into the final year of their deals. That is too many, full stop. When that happens, clubs lose leverage and every situation becomes more expensive or more awkward. There is also a football question. Andoni Iraola has only just arrived, and pre-season will matter. Jones now has a chance to convince a new head coach that he deserves a central role. If he does, Liverpool may move toward fresh terms later in the year. If he does not, the club may decide that £40 million, or something close to it, is the sensible line. Nottingham Forest are reportedly watching as well, after Elliot Anderson’s £116 million move to Manchester City. That may strengthen Liverpool’s hand domestically, though Inter will hope the player’s apparent openness to Italy gives them an edge. Our View This is exactly the sort of report that makes Liverpool supporters uneasy, because it has the look of a slow-burn exit. Final year of the contract, foreign interest, bids already rejected, and a player said to be open to the move. You do not need much imagination to see where that can end up. From an anxious fan perspective, the frustrating part is not Inter liking Curtis Jones. Good clubs are supposed to like good players. The problem is Liverpool letting so many contracts drift into dangerous territory at the same time. That is bad squad planning, and it leaves too much room for uncertainty. Jones is one of our own, and that still matters. He may not have nailed down a guaranteed starting place over the years, but he gives the squad depth, energy and something different in midfield. Selling him for around £21 million would feel poor business. Selling him for much less than £40 million would raise obvious questions too. At the same time, supporters will want clarity quickly. If Iraola rates him, extend him. If he does not, sell from a position of strength and move on. What fans do not want is another season of drift, another player entering February with the same unresolved story, and another negotiation where Liverpool look reactive instead of decisive. Source: La Gazzetta Dello Sport