Curtis Jones still faces an uncertain future at Liverpool with Inter Milan reportedly still interested in signing the midfielder. The Reds midfielder has been heavily linked with a move away from Anfield this summer as they prepare for the new Premier League campaign.
Inter Milan's Two Rules
Inter Milan have two rules they must adhere to if they are to complete a move for Liverpool star Curtis Jones. A move to Italy has been mentioned on the rumour mill throughout the summer, with Liverpool rejecting a £21million bid from Inter for the midfielder back in June.
Since then, there has continued to be speculation that Jones could still head for the exit door, with reports in recent days stating that Inter are still interested in signing the Liverpool academy graduate. However, thanks to regulations in place in Italian football, there are certain conditions that must be met for Inter to be able to sign Jones.
FIGC Regulations
As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, the rules in place by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) allow Serie A clubs to have up to two players from non-European Union (EU) countries signed during a single transfer window. England and the rest of the UK have not been part of the EU since January 2021, meaning Serie A clubs would only be able to sign two players from either of the four countries during a single window.
Inter have already signed John Stones from Manchester City and are close to completing the signing of Djed Spence from Tottenham Hotspur. In 2023, the FIGC changed the rules to allow Serie A clubs to be allowed to register one extra new signing from the UK during a transfer window.
Homegrown Quota Concerns
Italian football also has rules limiting the signing of non-EU players unless they have made at least two appearances for their country in the previous 12 months. With both of these rules in place, Inter would be able to sign Jones from Liverpool, provided they were able to agree a deal with the Reds.
There has been an awareness among Liverpool supporters in recent years of the club’s homegrown quota. A ‘Homegrown Player’ qualifies as such if they have been registered with any club for either three seasons or 36 months before their 21st birthday, or the end of the season where they turn 21. Jones qualifies as a homegrown player for Liverpool, and his departure would inevitably lead to more concerns around the Reds’ quota for the forthcoming campaign.
