Inter Milan Targets Curtis Jones as Liverpool Considers Summer Sale

Inter Milan have moved firmly into position for Curtis Jones, with the Italian club working to strike a deal for the Liverpool midfielder before the transfer window closes, according to sources.

The 25-year-old is open to the switch. After years on the fringes at Anfield, he wants to be a starter, not a squad option, and the lure of the San Siro and regular football is strong.

For Liverpool, this is more than a routine enquiry. A sale would likely represent their first major outgoing of the summer under Andoni Iraola, with no significant departures for a fee yet completed. It would also mark the end of a long, sometimes frustrating chapter for a player who has grown up with the club but never fully grown into the role many expected.

A Liverpool career that never quite caught fire

Jones broke into the first team in the 2018-19 season and, over time, carved out a place as a trusted member of the squad. In four of the last six campaigns, he has clocked at least 34 appearances in all competitions and played his part in a trophy-laden era, including a Premier League title.

Yet the numbers tell a harsher story about his standing. Last season in the Premier League he featured in 34 matches, but only 18 of those were starts as Liverpool finished fifth. He was present, but not central.

That lack of prominence came with a cost. When Thomas Tuchel named his England squad for the 2026 World Cup, Jones was nowhere near it. For a player in his mid-20s, at a club of Liverpool’s stature, that omission underlined his stalled progress.

The underlying data hardly screams untapped superstar. As of 5 August, figures from Fotmob show he averaged 0.05 goals, 0.13 xG, 1.07 shots, 0.09 assists and 0.98 chances created per game. Defensively, he posted 4.76 duels won with a 50.7 per cent success rate, 1.87 tackles and 0.84 interceptions.

Solid. Functional. But not defining.

In a midfield where Dominik Szoboszlai drives the attack and Ryan Gravenberch brings a stronger defensive presence, Jones sits awkwardly in the middle ground. Not the most incisive in the final third, not the most dominant without the ball.

For many at Anfield, a sale would feel logical rather than emotional. This is not a fan favourite being torn from the heart of the team, but a homegrown player who never quite forced the club to build around him.

Inter’s opportunity, Liverpool’s decision

From Inter’s perspective, the situation is ideal. They see a player in his prime years, with Champions League and Premier League experience, available at a moment when he is eager to prove himself as a starter. The Serie A champions have built a reputation on smart, opportunistic midfield recruitment; Jones fits that template.

For Jones, the move offers a reset. A chance to step out of the rotation role, away from the constant comparison with Liverpool’s more explosive or specialised midfielders, and into a league where his technical control and tactical discipline may be valued differently.

Back on Merseyside, the equation is more ruthless. If the club can command a strong fee for a player who has not cemented a starting place, that money can be recycled into areas Iraola deems more urgent. It would also send a clear signal that sentiment will not block evolution under the new regime.

Gakpo interest adds to Liverpool’s attacking sub-plot

Jones is not the only Liverpool player attracting attention. Tottenham Hotspur have made Cody Gakpo a leading target as they look to refresh their forward line this summer.

The Dutch international’s status at Anfield faces fresh scrutiny with the arrival of Victor Munoz and the potential signing of Bradley Barcola. More competition, fewer guaranteed minutes. Spurs sense an opening and are ready to test Liverpool’s resolve in the coming weeks.

Whether Liverpool are prepared to lose both a versatile midfielder like Jones and a forward of Gakpo’s calibre in the same window remains to be seen. What is clear is that the club stands on the brink of its first significant outgoing, and possibly more, as the market clock ticks down.

If Inter get their way, Curtis Jones will walk away from Anfield not as a failure, but as a player who needed a different stage. The real question now is how many others might follow him out of the door before this window slams shut.