Andoni Iraola and a mystery Liverpool player, with a Reds badge (inset)
Andoni Iraola and a mystery Liverpool player, with a Reds badge (inset)
Liverpool will offload Curtis Jones to Inter Milan and details on the final transfer fee and clause the Reds inserted have come to light, along with the £78m-rated midfielder now eyed as Jones’ successor.
Jones’ dissatisfaction with his lack of opportunities in his favoured central midfield role last term was there for all to see. When the 25-year-old was selected by former boss Arne Slot, it was often out of position at right-back.
Jones’ existing contract at Anfield expires next summer. The Reds did discuss a new deal with the midfielder, though in lieu of still not being a regular starter despite being in the prime of his career, Jones didn’t put pen to paper.
He emerged as a concrete target for Serie A champions Inter Milan in the January window. Jones was on board with making the move at that time, though Liverpool saw no sense in weakening Slot’s squad in the middle of a campaign in which the Reds were already labouring badly.
But once the campaign ended and once it became crystal clear there’d be no new contract, the decision was made to greenlight Jones’ exit.
Liverpool initially hoped to collect a fee in the £35m-£40m range. But with Inter struggling to stump up the cash, the Reds relaxed their demands and signalled they’d accept £30m.
On Wednesday afternoon, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano gave Jones’ switch to Inter his signature ‘here we go’ confirmation.
However, Romano’s seal of approval relates to verbal agreements, and as we’ve seen at various points throughout this window, deals he’s claimed are ‘here we go’ done can and have gone on to collapse.
That won’t happen on this occasion though, with numerous outlets and reporters including Sky Sports and Gianluca Di Marzio confirming on Wednesday night that Liverpool and Inter have sealed a deal.
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Liverpool selling Curtis Jones to Inter Milan
And on Thursday morning, trusted reporter, Ben Jacobs, rubberstamped the move when declaring Liverpool have ‘formally accepted’ Inter’s £30m bid.
What’s more, Jacobs also revealed the Reds are in line to collect a handy extra fee in the future after inserting a 10 percent sell-on clause into the agreement.
Jacobs stated on X: ‘Liverpool have now formally accepted Inter’s €35m (£30m) written offer for Curtis Jones.
‘Deal includes a 10% sell-on. Jones given permission to formalise the move.’
Jones has now received approval to fly to Milan where he’ll undergo a medical today. Barring any hiccups in the medical, Jones could officially become an Inter player before the day is out.
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Liverpool want £78m replacement for Jones
Jones’ exit will leave Andoni Iraola with a predicament in central midfield.
Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai are all proven at elite level and in the primes of their careers.
However, depth beyond that trio is sketchy to say the least. At present, cover is provided by Wataru Endo, Stefan Bajcetic and Trey Nyoni. Bajcetic is also the subject of talks regarding a loan exit to LaLiga side Getafe.
Accordingly, The Mirror state Liverpool could now make a bold move for Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton once Jones is sold.
Wharton is projected to cost around £78m, though aged 22 and already a full England international, that doesn’t look a bad price by any stretch of the imagination in today’s market…