Inter have already tested Liverpool with a €20m bid for Curtis Jones and are preparing a second offer, while the bigger issue for the Reds is the contract clock. Jones has 228 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool and 22 goals, and his deal is due to enter its final year this summer. That is the point where a home-grown player turns into a value call as much as a football one.

Why Liverpool may be tempted to sell

The price talk is still moving. One report puts Liverpool's value at €30m, while other outlets have floated around £35m and around £40.5m. Inter's first offer was turned down, but their interest is out in the open, with sporting director Pierre Ausilio saying: "Curtis Jones - we are paying attention to him. We didn't hide. We understand what the developments will be."

Liverpool's side of the calculation is easier to understand when the contract situation is laid out. If they do not move now, they risk carrying a player into a weaker negotiating position later. That does not mean a sale is certain, and it does not mean the club are desperate. It does mean this is no longer a routine link between two clubs.

Jones still has a case for staying

Jones has also made enough of a case on the pitch to keep the discussion alive. He averaged a 7.0 rating across his last five league appearances and played 469 minutes in that spell, so he was still contributing even if the role was not always the one he wanted. Last season he made 21 of his 49 appearances off the bench, started only 10 Premier League games in midfield and spent much of the campaign as an emergency right-back.

That usage matters because Jones has been clear about what he wants from his career. He told BBC Sport: "I can live with missing, but I can't live without taking responsibility. I see myself as being a lad who wants to take risks. I want to be a lad who's relied on by the team, the staff, the fans, and I want to be a huge star." He also said: "I want to be humble and not say things like I'm going to be captain and things like that but I want to be captain of the team."

He has publicly spoken about staying at Liverpool all his life, but the market does not usually wait for sentiment. Inter are a serious buyer, Liverpool know the contract timing, and Jones is still at a stage where he wants more than squad utility. If a deal is done, the next step is whether Liverpool accept the money now or keep a midfielder whose future is still open.

Compiled by the ClutchBrief Desk with AI assistance, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →