Curtis Jones is believed to be open to leaving Liverpool, with the club already rejecting two offers from Inter Milan, leaving the Reds midfielder with a big decision to make on his next move
04:00, 26 Jun 2026
The time is now for Curtis Jones to look for a move away from Liverpool
The time is now for Curtis Jones to look for a move away from Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)
He may not want to do it, but Curtis Jones needs to force his way out of Liverpool.
Inter Milan is said to be heavily interested in Jones, with the Reds already turning down two approaches for him. Liverpool is said to be disappointed with the offers, as the Italian team is reportedly not willing to pay too much for a player who is out of contract next season. But for the good of his career, he should leave.
It's a shame, really. Liverpool would be losing another local player in Jones, having seen a number of English players leave and not be replaced over the past three years. For a period, Jones looked like he might go on to be a future captain with the Reds. However, his career has stagnated.
In Jürgen Klopp's last season and Arne Slot's first, Jones looked to be making a jump from a role player to someone consistently pushing to be in the starting XI. But he has not been able to prove himself worthy of being a consistent starter, flattering to deceive in some big games for the Reds.
Jones has undeniable qualities on the ball. He's one of the Reds' most skillful players in the middle of the field — capable of picking up the ball deep and beginning an attack while always looking to drive forward. He's made a number of passes that many in the team just are not capable of making.
Jones has also improved tactically, occupying the right areas and becoming an important player off the ball as well as on it. But just 11 Premier League goals in 153 games show his lack of output in the final third. He has a tendency to be a little careless in attacks, while also at times being too safe with the ball.
Jones struggled for minutes under Arne Slot
Jones struggled for minutes under Arne Slot(Image: Getty Images)
His biggest issue, though, has been the same since he made his debut in 2018... he just takes far too long on the ball. Jones has played under two head coaches who want their midfielders to move the ball quickly — picking up the ball and manipulating defenses to find scoring opportunities.
This requires central midfielders like Jones to move the ball quickly — often to the wide players or the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz in the final third. This is especially important in counterattacks, where the Reds have had blistering speed up top in recent years with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez — all of whom have left the club.
And this is an area where Jones struggles and has shown little improvement: needing to release the ball quickly enough to capitalize on counterattacks. At times, Jones has held on to the ball for too long in deeper positions, turning potential counterattacks for Liverpool into the same for the opposition. This is a criticism that Jamie Carragher has had of the midfielder.
In January 2025, he said: “I thought Curtis Jones was poor, and the one negative about Curtis Jones as a player when he’s not playing well is he holds on to the ball too much. He’s got that football arrogance, which is something you want, but he’s at his best when he plays two-touch, he moves it quickly and he presses.
“He’s not a superstar in terms of beating players and clever passes. He just moves it on quickly and he presses, he’s energetic. As soon as he holds onto the ball for half a second too much, it doesn’t become football arrogance; it’s just arrogance. He lost the ball early on, and I thought it’s going to be one of those days from Curtis, but in the main, he’s been fantastic.”
Andoni Iraola's new system is incredibly aggressive when in possession. If Jones thought he didn't have enough time in possession under Klopp and Slot, he may not be ready for the style the Spaniard will bring. Iraola asks the midfielders to create triangles with the winger and an attacker — looking to get the ball up the field as much as possible.
What's more, Liverpool is reportedly looking at bringing in another midfielder at his position — with Lamine Camara, Mamadou Sangare and Adam Wharton linked. Jones is already behind Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz in the central positions. And don't be shocked if Trey Nyoni gets many more minutes this season, too. With Wataru Endo and Harvey Elliott likely to leave, Liverpool will be in the market for a central midfielder.
The Italian league, where Jones could be heading, could be a great place for him to play. He would be in a system where he can express himself, while playing in an incredible midfield with the capability to play further up the field.
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As previously mentioned, it would be a shame to see him go. Liverpool needs more Scousers in its team. The Reds are lacking in English players right now, with zero in the World Cup. But Jones is entering his peak years, and unless he's able to prove to Iraola that he's worthy of starting above a Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, or a new signing, it's not unlikely that his playing time diminishes even further this upcoming season.