Curtis Jones' Liverpool future remains uncertain with just over a week until the new Premier League season. The England international is out of contract next summer and continues to attract interest from Internazionale.
The Serie A giants failed to sign the 25-year-old in January and had an offer of around £21m rejected by the Reds in June. Inter renewed their interest at the end of last month, contacting the Reds over a potential deal worth £30m – though that figure still falls short of Liverpool's £35m valuation.
Inter's Pursuit and Liverpool's Stance
Fabrizio Romano has reported that the Italian outfit intend to step up their pursuit of Jones after selling Davide Frattesi to Lazio. Reds head coach Andoni Iraola confirmed at the start of July that he would prefer to keep the midfielder at Anfield, hoping he would extend his contract with his boyhood club.
But with Inter still giving chase, few would be surprised if Jones moved on – be it this summer, for a cut-price fee in January, or on a Bosman transfer next summer at the end of his contract. The 25-year-old's absence from Liverpool's matchday squad against Monaco last weekend set tongues wagging, though Iraola later revealed Jones had been left out as a precaution because of a minor hip issue.
A Potential Exclusive Club
Having taken part in training on Wednesday, it remains to be seen whether he will feature in either of this weekend's final pre-season friendlies against Como. But should Jones edge closer to the exit door, he could join a rather exclusive Liverpool club.
The midfielder scored the final goal of Arne Slot's Anfield reign as the Reds saw out a disappointing season with a 1-1 draw at home to Brentford last May in their last competitive fixture. Should such a match prove to be Jones' final competitive appearance for Liverpool, he will become the latest player to depart after scoring in his last outing for the club.
Legends Who Scored in Their Final Reds Outing
ECHO columnist John Aldridge memorably scored when making his final appearance for the Reds back in 1989, coming off the bench to score a penalty in a 9-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace ahead of signing for Real Sociedad. Meanwhile, 18 players to date have scored in their last games for Liverpool in the Premier League era, with Roberto Firmino the most recent star to join the list.
The Brazilian was on the scoresheet in May 2023 as Liverpool finished the season with a 4-4 draw away at Southampton. The forward was already confirmed to be leaving the club at the end of his contract and would go on to sign for Saudi side Al-Ahli. Steven Gerrard infamously did in a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Stoke City back in May 2015 ahead of his Bosman transfer to LA Galaxy, while Vladimir Smicer scored in a more memorable send-off when helping the Reds come from behind to win the Champions League against AC Milan in Istanbul in 2005.
Djibril Cisse also managed to get on the scoresheet in what proved to be his final appearance as they won the FA Cup against West Ham United in May 2006. Unlike Smicer, the Frenchman did not know he would be moving on, with the forward initially joining Marseille on loan before the switch was made permanent. Nicolas Anelka also scored in the final match of his loan move from Paris Saint-Germain when Liverpool beat Ipswich Town 5-0 in May 2002.
Dominic Solanke, Jordon Ibe, Daniel Agger, Michael Owen, and Paul Ince also all scored on the final day of a Premier League campaign in what would prove to be their final appearances for the Reds. Solanke was on the scoresheet for a rotated side that finished with a 4-0 thrashing of Brighton & Hove Albion ahead of the 2018 Champions League final, though he did not leave until the following January. Ibe netted against West Bromwich Albion as Jurgen Klopp rested players ahead of a 2016 Europa League showdown against Sevilla, departing for Bournemouth later that summer.
Agger scored in a 2-1 win over Newcastle United in May 2014 as Liverpool narrowly missed out on the title before returning to Brondby, while Owen was on the scoresheet against the Magpies as the Reds finished the 2003/04 season with a 1-1 draw at Anfield. He would later be left as an unused substitute for Rafa Benitez's first game in charge amid interest from Real Madrid before leaving for the La Liga giants. Ince netted in a 3-0 thrashing of Wimbledon before leaving for Middlesbrough after Gerard Houllier deemed his captain surplus to requirements.
Takumi Minamino and Peter Crouch scored against Southampton and Birmingham City in May 2022 and April 2008 before moving on to AS Monaco and Portsmouth. Suso scored in his final appearance in a League Cup clash with Middlesbrough in September 2014, leaving for AC Milan in a cut-price deal the following January. Mamadou Sakho left in controversial circumstances, signing permanently for Crystal Palace in August 2017. His final appearance had come 16 months prior as he netted in a 4-0 thrashing of Everton, only to be sidelined after being investigated by UEFA and suspended for violating an anti-doping rule. Although the case was later dismissed, he never played for the Reds again.
Karl-Heinz Riedle is the only player in the Reds' history to score multiple goals on what would prove to be his final appearance, netting a brace in a 4-2 League Cup victory over Hull City in September 1999. Layton Maxwell also scored against the Tigers that day, with the match acting as both his debut and only appearance. Jan Molby converted a penalty as Liverpool lost 3-2 to Coventry City in March 1995. The first Reds player to score in their final outing during the Premier League era was Dean Saunders in September 1992, scoring in a 2-1 victory over Chelsea only to be sold to Aston Villa days later.
What's Next for Jones?
Only time will tell if Jones will find himself added to such a list. Liverpool open the Premier League season away at Newcastle United on Sunday 23 August before hosting Nottingham Forest on Saturday 29 August, with the transfer window closing on Tuesday 1 September. Should Jones still be a Reds player when the season gets underway but not be called upon in either fixture, speculation will inevitably only grow. But if he featured in either game to add to his 228 appearances for his boyhood club, his Liverpool story would not be over just yet even if Inter still hope to lure him through the Anfield exit door.
