Liverpool's Curtis Jones Faces Decision as Newcastle Targets Midfield Reinforcements
Liverpool’s summer rebuild is beginning to squeeze the space around Curtis Jones – and Newcastle United might be the club that finally forces a decision at Anfield.
Inter circle as Liverpool soften stance
Three new faces have already walked through the door at Liverpool: Jeremy Jacquet, Ronald Araujo and Victor Munoz. Araujo’s arrival on loan from Barcelona, with an option to buy set at €55m, shores up the defence and allows Liverpool to turn their gaze back up the pitch, towards wide areas.
That’s where PSG duo Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye come in. Both are on Liverpool’s radar, and if the pair land on Merseyside, the knock-on effect could be significant. Tottenham are watching closely, with Cody Gakpo potentially freed up for a move should Liverpool’s attacking reshuffle go through.
While the focus has been on arrivals, the exit door is creaking open. The Athletic recently highlighted Jones, Federico Chiesa and Gakpo among those who could leave before the window shuts. For Jones, the timing is stark: he is 25, into the final year of his contract, and there are no talks over an extension.
Inter Milan have sensed an opportunity. The Serie A champions tried to prise Jones away in January and have returned this summer with renewed intent. Two bids have already been knocked back, the highest around €30m, with Liverpool initially signalling they wanted closer to €40m–€45m.
Now the stance is shifting.
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano reports that Inter believe Liverpool will sell at around €35m (£30m). He wrote on X that Inter have kept Jones as a “priority target” since May and feel a deal at that fee “could happen”, though they are waiting for clarity on Davide Frattesi’s future before lodging a fresh offer. The plan is clear: move one midfielder out, go hard for Jones.
Newcastle’s midfield hunt could trigger Jones deal
This is where Newcastle step into the story.
Eddie Howe’s side are scrambling for midfield reinforcements after being forced to accept a £75m offer from Arsenal for Bruno Guimaraes. The sale leaves a gaping hole at the heart of their team and a sizeable budget to address it.
Newcastle have already taken a couple of hits in the market. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg turned them down, while another long-term target, Joao Palhinha, is on course to join Aston Villa. The search has become urgent.
According to TEAMtalk, Inter have now offered Davide Frattesi to Newcastle. The 26-year-old Italy international has emerged as a genuine option, with Inter’s asking price set at around €30m (£26m). If Newcastle decide he is the answer to their midfield problem and agree to that fee, the dominoes start to line up.
Frattesi’s exit would hand Inter the green light they are waiting for. With funds banked and a midfield replacement out the door, they would be ready to launch what they hope will be a decisive bid for Jones at the €35m mark.
For Liverpool, that figure represents a compromise between their original valuation and the reality of a player running down his contract. For Jones, it could mean a move from hometown club to the reigning champions of Italy, with regular minutes in a side built to win now.
All of it, though, may rest on one choice in the North East: do Newcastle pull the trigger on Frattesi and, in doing so, unlock the deal that finally prises Curtis Jones away from Anfield?
