Curtis Jones was excluded from Liverpool’s pre-season friendly squad to face AS Monaco on Sunday despite being involved in the Reds’ first three friendlies of the summer.
The Scouser was one of four Liverpool players excluded from Andoni Iraola’s team, which lost 3-2 at Anfield, along with Freddie Woodman, Harvey Davies and Stefan Bajcetic, with the latter still not fully fit.
According to This is Anfield, Jones was not included on Sunday as a precaution as he struggles with a knock. The Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle reports that the specific nature of the injury is a problem with the 26-year-old’s hip.
Curtis Jones has a hip problem and that's why he isn't being risked today for #LFC ?
— Ian Doyle (@IanDoyleSport) August 9, 2026
Fabrizio Romano also reports: “Curtis Jones, out of Liverpool squad today as he’s not even on the bench. LFC informs it’s precaution for the midfielder still wanted by Inter (priority target) and more clubs this summer.”
Instead, Liverpool’s starting trio featured Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz. As the new season draws nearer, we can begin to make more accurate assumptions over what Iraola’s selection means for the season at large.
Szoboszlai and Wirtz will no doubt be starters, but there had until now been question marks over how Iraola views Gravenberch in his plans, but his role as a starter against Monaco can be viewed as a hint that he will be a starter in the season ahead.
Given the Dutchman is on £280,000 per week, this shouldn’t be a surprise, but after his dire 2025/26 campaign under compatriot Arne Slot, it was a topic of debate over the summer.
It wouldn’t come as a major surprise if the real reason for Jones’ exclusion from the squad was that a move to Inter Milan is finally advanced. There have been reports all summer of the Italians’ interest but also their unwillingness to meet Liverpool’s £35m asking price.
A recent claim from FC Inter News stated: “Inter cannot move forward with a deal for Curtis Jones due to a surplus in midfield, including Frattesi, Asllani and Massolin.
“The club is adamant on not going past a deal worth €30-35M including bonuses and if a move cannot be made this summer, a plan is in place to try to land Jones on a free transfer when the midfielder’s contract expires in 2027.”