Jones Set To Join Inter Milan In £30m Liverpool Deal

Curtis Jones is set to leave Liverpool for Inter Milan after the Italian champions agreed a deal worth up to €35m (£30m) for the midfielder.

Liverpool have accepted an initial €30m (£25.7m) fee for the 25-year-old, with a further €5m (£4.3m) available in add-ons. The agreement also includes a 10 per cent sell-on clause in favour of the Premier League club.

Jones is expected to travel to Italy on Thursday for a medical before completing his move to Serie A.

The transfer brings an end to the Liverpool academy graduate’s 16-year association with the club after he joined the Reds’ academy at the age of nine.

Jones made his senior debut under former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp in 2019 and went on to make 228 appearances for the club, scoring and contributing in a variety of midfield and attacking roles.

However, despite his versatility, Jones struggled to establish himself as a regular starter, particularly under former manager Arne Slot.

He made 49 appearances across all competitions last season but started only 18 Premier League matches, with competition for places in Liverpool’s midfield limiting his opportunities.

Inter had previously shown interest in the England international during the January transfer window, when they proposed a loan move with an option to make the transfer permanent.

Liverpool rejected that proposal, but negotiations resumed this summer after the Serie A champions made another attempt to sign the midfielder.

In June, Liverpool turned down a verbal offer of €25m (£21.7m) from Inter, with the Premier League club valuing Jones at around £35m despite the player having only one year remaining on his contract.

Liverpool subsequently indicated that a package similar to the £30m deal Inter agreed with Tottenham for Djed Spence would likely be sufficient to secure Jones’ departure.

The eventual agreement has now been reached, with Jones understood to have been keen on seeking a fresh challenge in Italy.

Liverpool also did not want to stand in the way of a player who had risen through their academy and had entered the final year of his contract.

From Liverpool’s perspective, the deal represents an opportunity to secure a significant fee for a home-grown player who could otherwise leave for nothing when his contract expires next summer.

The transfer is also expected to generate an immediate profit for Liverpool because Jones was developed through the club’s academy.

Jones’ departure follows Trent Alexander-Arnold’s move from Liverpool to Real Madrid last summer, marking another high-profile exit by a player who came through the club’s youth system.

His move to Inter will also make him the third English player to join the Italian club this summer, following John Stones and Spence.

Jones’ versatility made him a valuable squad player for Liverpool, although his inability to nail down a specific position contributed to his inconsistent starting opportunities.

During his time under Slot, Jones made 95 appearances over two seasons and remained an important option for the squad despite failing to establish himself as an undisputed first-choice midfielder.

Liverpool’s new manager, Andoni Iraola, had expressed his admiration for Jones after taking charge of the club and indicated that he wanted the midfielder to remain at Anfield.

“I rate Curtis very highly,” Iraola said at his first news conference as Liverpool manager.

He added that he wanted Jones to stay and “continue performing the way he has been performing”.

Iraola also highlighted Jones’ local roots and his importance as a home-grown player.

“He’s Scouse, he’s from here,” the Liverpool manager said.

However, Jones’ departure means Liverpool will have no Scousers in their first-team squad, ending a long-standing local connection within the club’s senior ranks.

On the pitch, Liverpool will now have to find ways to replace Jones’ contribution and squad versatility, while his departure could create an opportunity for 19-year-old Trey Nyoni.

Nyoni impressed during pre-season and is now expected to have a greater opportunity to establish himself within Iraola’s first-team plans.

For Jones, the move represents a fresh chapter after more than a decade at Liverpool, with Inter offering him the opportunity to begin a new phase of his career in Italian football.