Inter Milan continue to pursue a deal for Curtis Jones, but there are more negatives for Liverpool than positives if they were to sell the midfielder.
The Italian club have had several offers knocked back by Liverpool this summer, having failed to meet their valuation of the academy graduate, which is upwards of €40 million (£34.2m).
While there is a sense of inevitability that Inter will eventually bow to the club’s demands, the reality of what that means for Liverpool has started to sink in.
Jones has played 228 games for his boyhood club since making his debut in 2019, and at just 25 is entering the prime years of his career.
With that in mind, here are several pros and cons to Liverpool sanctioning Jones’ permanent departure.
Pros:
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 24, 2026: Liverpool's Curtis Jones during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brentford FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 24, 2026: Liverpool's Curtis Jones during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brentford FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
• Liverpool guarantee a fee
If he isn’t going to sign a new contract, the club would at least guarantee a return for a player they developed from the age of nine.
He is out of contract next summer, and if an extension is not on the cards, even if Liverpool were to retain him this season, it may be better to cash in while the opportunity exists.
• Pure profit on the books
Similarly, receiving a transfer fee will also enable Liverpool to secure pure profit on the deal, which assists with Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) compliance.
As a homegrown player, they cost nothing to sign and their book value is considered zero, meaning any fee received is deemed profit.
• Gives other players a chance, or opens transfer opportunity
Funds could be directly reallocated toward a profile of Iraola’s choosing, whether that be for a specialised No. 6 or another player capable of slotting in at No. 8.
It could also give opportunities to others further down in the current midfield pecking order, including Trey Nyoni, who was handed just 237 minutes last season.
• Liverpool don’t hold onto a player who doesn’t want to be here
Although Jones played the most games of his Liverpool career last season (49), he is seeking a more valued role and keeping any fringe or unhappy player can take its toll on a squad.
Granting a transfer would avoid any issues relating to frustration at a lack of game time, if that were to be the case under Iraola.
Cons:
NASHVILLE, USA - Saturday, July 25, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola (R) speaks to Curtis Jones during a friendly match between Liverpool FC and AFC Sunderland at the Nashville SC Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
NASHVILLE, USA - Saturday, July 25, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Andoni Iraola (R) speaks to Curtis Jones during a friendly match between Liverpool FC and AFC Sunderland at the Nashville SC Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
• Lose a homegrown and club-trained player
Homegrown players are vital when it comes to naming a full Premier League and Champions League squad, with up to eight needed for a maximum squad size.
Losing Jones would see the Reds’ homegrown numbers reduce further.
Finding a replacement in the transfer window can come at a premium, or could hinder the progression of young talents who are held onto just to meet senior squad needs.
• Squad depth reduced and another versatile option gone
The squad is already desperately thin in all departments, and while the expectation is Liverpool still have plenty of business to conduct in the final month of the window, it adds another hole to fill.
Injuries at centre-back have shown how precarious a situation can become if a couple of players get injured at the same time, and losing Jones will not only make the squad smaller but also limit Iraola’s ability to tap into his versatility.
CHICAGO, USA - Friday, July 31, 2026: Liverpool's Curtis Jones during an open training session at the Endeavor Health Performance Center ahead of their final pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field in Chicago. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
CHICAGO, USA - Friday, July 31, 2026: Liverpool's Curtis Jones during an open training session at the Endeavor Health Performance Center ahead of their final pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field in Chicago. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
• Press-resistant option suited to Iraola
There have always been frustrations at Jones’ need to hold onto the ball longer than necessary, but his press-resistant tendencies have been important in recent years.
He can help wrestle back momentum and retain possession, traits that are not easy to come by either in a young player or a transfer arriving from another league.
• Another late window transfer search
As abovementioned, Liverpool’s needs in the window are already plentiful and adding another player to the list when every club knows you are in need of a replacement will be costly.
When you factor in the need to have a new player settle into the club and the city, that adds another layer of transition that could be avoided by keeping Jones.
• Liverpool lose the Scouser in our team
There has never not been a Scouser in the first-team squad, and while an academy player could take the title, it would still leave no established local connection in the team.
Iraola said it best when he expressed a desire to retain Jones this season, saying: “It’s very important that he’s Scouse, that he’s from here.”
A local connection has been at the heart of Liverpool throughout its history, and having a player who knows what it means to represent the city in the dressing room has been key.
That remains true to this day.
LFCvs.Leeds
Football – Pre-Season – Liverpool USA Tour Day 12
CHICAGO, USA - Friday, July 31, 2026: Liverpool's Florian Wirtz during an open training session at the Endeavor Health Performance Center ahead of their final pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field in Chicago. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
2 x collage (18)
2 x collage (18)