Curtis Jones is not perfect, but selling him this summer would be a mistake for Liverpool. Inter Milan are edging closer to Liverpool's valuation for the Scouser, yet the benefits of a sale would be limited given the figures suggested, even with his contract expiring in a year's time.
Pre-Season Struggles and Transfer Interest
Jones stood on the goal line wearing the captain's armband, shoulders slumped, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin wheeled away in celebration. For the former Everton striker, it didn't matter that it was pre-season – another goal against Liverpool was another goal against Liverpool, even if it was now in the white of Leeds United.
It's hard not to wonder if Jones' mind was elsewhere, old rivalries further from his thoughts. Dominated in the air for that goal – the fourth for Leeds as they came back from 2-0 down at half-time to cruise to victory in the second half in Chicago – Jones was easily bypassed as he switched off for the third, too, scored by Sean Longstaff.
Days earlier, he had appeared to publicly remonstrate with his teammates following the final whistle against Wrexham after being overlooked for the armband, only to go missing completely when wearing it as part of an absent second-half Liverpool performance in the final game of the Reds' pre-season tour.
Inter's Pursuit and Liverpool's Valuation
The context could be important. On Friday, news broke that Internazionale would be returning with another offer for Jones, having seen two previous bids rejected by Liverpool for their homegrown midfielder. The Milan side have low-balled the Reds, hoping that Jones' looming 2027 contract expiry would tempt Liverpool into a cut-price sale with the player having shut down attempts to renew.
Their latest offer, believed to be in the region of £30m, still falls around £5m short of Liverpool's valuation and how the bid will be responded to remains unclear. Andoni Iraola has stressed the importance of having a local player in the first team and praised Jones' character when asked about his future – but Liverpool's hierarchy would surely be loathe to let another player walk out of the door for nothing in a year's time.
Jones' Career and Potential
Inter have pursued Jones since January, and see him as the ideal player to bring technicality and control to their midfield. Jones had spoken optimistically about these qualities making him an important player under Arne Slot, but the Scouser remained a bit-part player during the Dutchman's two years in charge – and now faces an uncertain future under a new manager with a completely different style of play.
Jones' desire for a bigger role at his boyhood club has never been a secret, but Liverpool also harboured those hopes for him. Steven Gerrard spoke glowingly of his star player when nurturing his development as U-18s manager in 2017/18, and told The Anfield Wrap in 2024 that Jones was "more talented than me" in terms of his technical ability.
The uncomfortable truth Jones must face, though, is that at 25 he has so far not reached the full extent of his potential. As a 16-year-old under Gerrard, Jones scored 16 goals and provided six assists over 30 games for Liverpool's academy sides, predominantly playing as an attacking midfielder. For the first team, he has managed 22 goals and 25 assists from 228 senior appearances. This is in part a result of breaking into the first team as part of Jurgen Klopp's more austere midfield rotation, with less responsibility for goal contributions placed on players operating in the middle of the pitch.
The Homegrown Factor and Versatility
But it is worth remembering that Jones was seen as the best player Liverpool's academy had produced in nearly 20 years. Comparisons to Gerrard set many a Kirkby-raised midfielder up for failure, but Jones was different, and he showed he could cope with the weight of expectation with a tremendous goal against Everton on the occasion of his first-ever start at Anfield in 2020.
His 228 games are worthy of celebration. Even when not starting regularly, Jones has played an important role in numerous trophy-winning sides since making his debut, and has consistently threatened to break into the starting XI longer-term only to be denied by an injury or sudden loss of form.
At this stage of his career, Jones is within his rights to want to play week-in, week-out. But it can also be argued that a player of his undeniable ability to manipulate a football should have been capable of forcing his way into a Premier League starting XI more than the 18 times Jones managed last season, when Liverpool's midfield was so dysfunctional.
It seems likely that factors behind the scenes had a hand in Jones' lack of starts last season, and perhaps the interest from Inter had already swayed him before the campaign drew to a close.
Why Selling Would Be a Mistake
In normal circumstances, a club like Liverpool should have little reason to keep a player who doesn't see his future at the club. But this season, the Reds can ill-afford to leave themselves short. Jones occupies one of eight reserved spots for homegrown players and replacing him would be nigh impossible. Bournemouth's Alex Scott, a promising 22-year-old talent but currently an inferior player, is being courted by Chelsea for upwards of £70m – double the reported asking price for Jones.
Sourcing homegrown talent at a price which suits Liverpool during a summer in which reinforcements are required across the pitch appears fanciful, and Jones is a player who can realistically do a job in at least six positions.
Though a departure now looks like the most likely outcome for a player who is far from perfect, the potential cost of losing Jones this summer would be far greater than the relatively paltry fee that his sale would bring in.
