​Liverpool need to push themselves a bit more this summer and add more bodies across the squad. Almost every area could benefit from an extra player, but they won’t be able to fund significant acquisitions unless they move on a number of their current stars first. If they hadn’t spent over £450 million last summer, they’d be in a much healthier position now, but that ship has sailed, and they must accept the consequences by trimming their squad further.
Several players have already been linked with exits, yet one Liverpool star’s future looks increasingly uncertain. Before Arne Slot was dismissed, it already felt like Curtis Jones had one foot out of Anfield. The England international didn’t feature much under the Dutch coach, and when he did play, he was deployed out of position at right-back. While the 25-year-old did well in that unfamiliar role, it’s clear his best performance comes in midfield, so it wasn’t surprising to see him tied to a potential move away.
Inter Milan attempted to sign Jones in January, but Liverpool needed him, so they refused to release him, hoping to pursue another approach this summer. In the end, Inter did return with an offer, but it was nowhere near Liverpool’s valuation, and the two clubs hit a stalemate. Now, a fresh report from La Gazzetta dello Sport has outlined Inter’s current plan regarding their interest in Jones.
“Curtis Jones is becoming more relevant than ever,” the Italian outlet stated. “The Englishman was a target for the club in January and returned to that role immediately after the season, but other transfer-market situations requiring urgent action have pushed him somewhat to the sidelines. Parked to one side, certainly not abandoned—quite the opposite. The primary option in the middle remains the 25-year-old Liverpool player.”
Looking at how Curtis Jones performed for Liverpool compared with some of his teammates last season, it’s remarkable that Richard Hughes and Andoni Iraola are still weighing up moves to offload him. Jones remains the sole remaining homegrown Liverpool representative in midfield after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s exit, leaving the squad with one less homegrown option on whom to rely. Homegrown players are a critical issue for many Premier League clubs, which perhaps explains why Elliott Anderson has just joined Manchester City for £116 million. Yet, if Liverpool can’t guarantee him substantial playing time, it’s no surprise he would seek pastures new.
For Liverpool, though, the risk of losing Jones is tangible. With him entering the final year of his contract, a sale could fetch a modest sum, so the club faces a tricky balance between cashing in now and retaining a player who contributes when used in his natural midfield role. If Iraola’s plans do not accommodate Jones, Liverpool might find themselves navigating a difficult period of renewal in the middle of the park, where Jones’s presence could be pivotal both for performance and for maintaining a degree of continuity in a squad undergoing extensive changes.
As the summer unfolds, all eyes will be on Jones’s situation and how Liverpool decide to reconcile their financial needs with on-pitch requirements. The midfielder’s future remains up in the air, with Inter still weighing their options and Liverpool weighing the cost of letting him go versus the benefit of keeping him in a team that is looking to refresh and retool for the next campaign.