Inter Milan have warned Liverpool they will not meet their current asking price for Curtis Jones and are prepared to walk away from negotiations if the Reds refuse to lower their demands, TEAMtalk understands.
The Serie A champions remain determined to sign the England international this summer and Jones has made it clear that his priority is a move to the San Siro.
Inter first explored a deal in January before returning with renewed intent this summer, but both of their offers have been knocked back by Liverpool.
As we have previously revealed, Inter’s latest proposal was worth around £21million, following an opening bid of around £18million, but Liverpool continue to value the 25-year-old at £34million.
That valuation has left the Italian champions unconvinced.
Sources have told TEAMtalk that Inter believe Liverpool’s demands are unrealistic given Jones has entered the final 12 months of his contract and there has been little progress over a renewal for some time.
The expectation from all parties had been that the academy graduate would be allowed to leave this summer if a suitable offer arrived.
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Inter playing waiting game over Jones fee
Inter remain huge admirers of Jones and view him as one of their priority midfield targets, but club officials have now made it clear during talks that they have no intention of matching Liverpool’s current valuation.
We understand the Italians are willing to remain patient rather than overpay for a player they believe is entering the final year of his deal.
However, despite the sizeable gap between the clubs, negotiations remain alive.
Sources have confirmed that representatives from both clubs, alongside intermediaries working on the transfer, have remained in regular contact over the past week in an effort to find common ground.
While an agreement is not considered close, neither side believes the deal has collapsed.
Indeed, intermediaries involved in the negotiations are encouraging Inter to improve their offer beyond £25million, believing that Liverpool’s position could soften as the window progresses and the reality of Jones’ contract situation becomes more significant.
Whether Inter are prepared to go that far remains to be seen.
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Jones favours Serie A move despite Prem interest
We can also reveal that a number of Premier League clubs are monitoring developments closely.
Jones continues to have admirers in England and several sides have made checks on his availability, aware that Liverpool could eventually become more flexible if negotiations with Inter stall.
However, sources close to the player insist his preference remains unchanged.
Jones is excited by the prospect of joining the reigning Italian champions and believes the move represents the right next step in his career after spending his entire professional career at Anfield.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are not under pressure to sell. While the Reds are open to offers, they continue to insist that Jones could still have an important role to play under Andoni Iraola should no agreement be reached before the close of the transfer window.
That stance has strengthened Liverpool’s negotiating position, even with the midfielder’s contract entering its final year.
For now, the two clubs remain some distance apart on valuation.
Inter have made it clear they will not be drawn into meeting Liverpool’s £34m asking price, while Liverpool remain convinced the England international is worth significantly more than the offers received so far.
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