£35m midfielder to stay against the odds

£35m midfielder to stay against the odds
© IMAGO - Andoni Iraola Richard Hughes Liverpool
Liverpool are facing contract uncertainty over several midfielders. Stefan Bajcetic and Harvey Elliott are two such players - out of contract in 2027 and no closer to signing new deals. Either or both could be sold in the current transfer period in order to avoid losing them on a free. In a similar boat is Curtis Jones . The 25-year-old is under contract only for another year. And if Liverpool don’t manage to tie him down to a new contract - or else sell him - he will be departing on a free transfer next summer. Jones expected to join Inter It was initially expected that the England international would sign for Inter Milan. The Italian champions have been interested since January - when they had an initial attempt to sign the Scouser rejected. But Cristian Chivu’s side have been back to the negotiation table since the window opened. However Inter have barely moved from their original valuation of Jones - falling well short of the £35m or so that Liverpool require. The Milanese giants are playing a dangerous game - banking on Richard Hughes being desperate to sell towards the end of the transfer period. Inter moving on with other priorities Liverpool have so far stood firm and a report in la Gazzetta dello Sport now paints Jones as a lesser priority for the Serie A side. Instead of bringing forward new discussion for Jones - and actually meeting Liverpool’s target price - they are putting him to the bottom of the list. “The Nerazzurri’s immediate focus is on securing a central defender and a right-winger,” the report reads. “The club’s hierarchy is actively working to provide manager Chivu with these two missing pieces. “For now, the pursuit of Jones may have to wait.” Jones could now stay and get new deal This latest development offers Liverpool the chance to KEEP Jones around. He is currently with the squad in the United States on a preseason tour - and will be needed during the opening stages of the campaign as Alexis Mac Allister will still be on holiday. Jones therefore has a chance to stake a big claim under new head coach Andoni Iraola - and may even convince his employers to hand him a new deal. He last renewed back in 2022 - when he was a fringe player - and his current demands have yet to be matched by the club in talks. But if Inter continue to test the club’s patience - and with Jones needed at the outset of the Iraola regime - a pathway may open up for the Scouser in our team to stay put.