Inter Milan Sets Deadline for Liverpool on Curtis Jones Transfer
Inter Milan have put a clock on Liverpool over Curtis Jones – and they want an answer fast.
The Serie A champions, already deep into their summer planning, are pushing to have the midfielder in place “in Germany starting July 16th”, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, as they look to finalise their squad before pre-season work ramps up.
Liverpool, though, are in no mood to be rushed or lowballed.
Inter push, Liverpool dig in
TEAMtalk reported earlier this month that Jones has already given the green light to a move to Inter, with the Italian side working off a valuation of around €20m. From their side, the deal is simple: they believe in the player, they know he wants the move, and they see a contract running down towards its final year.
Liverpool see something very different.
Inside Anfield, Jones is viewed as a saleable asset at a time when the club needs funds to reshape a squad already losing big names. Ibrahima Konate has gone to Real Madrid, Andy Robertson to Tottenham, both on free transfers. Mohamed Salah has already confirmed he will leave, with Saudi Arabia and other destinations circling.
Letting another homegrown player walk out the door for anything less than full value is not part of the plan.
So the Reds are holding the line at around €30m, and they want a sell-on clause built into any agreement. As Gazzetta put it, “the Reds remain resistant, as they intend to cash in on the English midfielder’s €30 million sale, including a percentage of his future resale value.”
Inter, for now, are stuck. Their squad is bloated at around 20 players, and they need outgoings to clear space and salary before committing to Liverpool’s asking price. Yet they remain calm, banking on Jones’ desire to make the switch and the leverage of his contract situation.
The deadline they have set – having him available in Germany by mid-July – underlines how badly they want this wrapped up. Whether it forces Liverpool’s hand is another matter entirely.
Liverpool look elsewhere as Ayari stays locked on World Cup
While Inter try to drag Jones out of Merseyside, Liverpool’s recruitment team have been casting their net across Europe. One name that has surfaced with increasing regularity is Brighton’s Yasin Ayari.
The Sweden international has impressed at the World Cup, and recent reports have placed him on Liverpool’s list of midfield options. For a club about to lose Salah and facing questions over the futures of Jones, Alexis Mac Allister and others, that list is getting longer by the week.
Ayari, though, is having none of the noise.
Asked by Fotbollskanalen about negotiations with Liverpool, the Brighton man shut the door on any transfer talk for now. “I’m in the World Cup bubble, as they say. I don’t have a clue about anything. Everyone else is taking care of it for me. I’m just here and focusing on the World Cup.”
For Brighton, his stance will be welcome. They have already moved to strengthen around him, bringing in Zadok Yohanna from Ayari’s former club AIK Fotboll. Ayari, still only in the early stages of his own Premier League journey, is ready to play the elder brother.
“It will be fun,” he said of Yohanna’s arrival. “I haven’t seen much of him in the Swedish league, but it will be fun to start and see how he goes.
“I will take care of him, but many people will take care of him. It’s a family club, so it should go well.”
While Ayari talks about mentorship and World Cup focus, Liverpool’s reality is far more urgent. One midfielder is edging towards the San Siro with a deadline stamped on his future. Another, in Brighton colours, is trying to block out the noise.
The clock is ticking either way.
