Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones has been linked with Inter Milan all summer long, and now there has been a new update regarding his future at Anfield.
Jones played in the second half in the Reds’ 1-0 win over Wrexham in New York, with Andoni Iraola discussing how much his players have adjusted to his style of play since he came in:
“I think we’re still not there. We are sometimes arriving late, but I think it’s a step forward, since especially the first half against Sunderland. That is more of a reference than the second half. Slowly, slowly I hope every game we are closer and closer.
“We start to add new bodies, because now we are playing with a lot of the young players. Slowly, slowly we have to add the senior players that are starting to train with us, so we can arrive to the beginning of the season in a good place.”
It remains to be seen whether Jones will still be a Liverpool player come the start of the season, but according to Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter are still pushing hard to sign him.
John Stones’ imminent move there on a free transfer has lessened the need for them to sign Tottenham’s Cristian Romero, and they want to use the funds on Jones instead.
Inter manager Christian Chivu sees the 25-year-old as someone who can shine in his 3-5-2 formation, with Caught Offside citing his “ability to retain possession under pressure, carry the ball through midfield and contribute in several central roles makes him an attractive option” as key.
Liverpool must opt to keep Curtis Jones this summer
Selling Jones would be an error by Liverpool this summer, even though he isn’t necessarily always the most universally popular player among the fanbase, dividing opinion with his use of the ball at times.
But the positives in his game easily outweigh the negatives, including those attributes mentioned above, and Jurgen Klopp called him a “joy to watch” when he worked alongside him.
It is easy to see why Jones’ head could be turned by a move to Inter, though, given their status as European giants and reigning Serie A champions, and the fact that he could offer him more regular starts.
Importantly, Iraola has made it clear that he wants to retain the midfielder’s services beyond the summer, and that would be the far better outcome for the Reds moving forward.
Henry is an experienced football writer with a huge passion and knowledge of Liverpool.
He is also a main contributor for This Is Anfield, one of the world's biggest Reds-related sites, where he writes features and news, and covers matchday content.
Henry has written articles for the Times and the Guardian, too, as well as featured on the radio on BBC Radio 5 Live and LBC. He has accumulated over 30,000 followers on Twitter/X.