Curtis Jones nears £30m Liverpool exit to Inter Milan, with a Newcastle move holding up the deal

Highlights

• Curtis Jones, 25, is edging closer to a £30m (€35m) move from Liverpool to Inter Milan, according to Fabrizio Romano.
• Inter can't move for Jones until they sell midfielder Davide Frattesi, with Newcastle the most-reported (but not yet confirmed) destination.
• Liverpool had been holding out for €40m most of the window; Romano says they've now "slightly lowered" that request to get the deal moving.

Curtis Jones looks set to leave Liverpool this summer, with Inter Milan closing in on a £30 million deal for the midfielder. According to Fabrizio Romano, Inter have made Jones their priority target since May, and there's now a growing belief inside the club that a fee of €35m, around £30m, will get the deal done.

There's a catch holding things up, though, and it doesn't involve Liverpool at all. It involves Newcastle.

Why does a Newcastle deal matter to Liverpool's transfer?

Because Inter can't complete the Jones deal without first freeing up space, and that space depends on selling Davide Frattesi. Some reporting, including Romano's, links Frattesi's likely exit specifically to Newcastle, who need central midfield cover after reluctantly selling Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal for £75m this summer. Other outlets tracking the same Inter squad reshuffle describe Frattesi's exit as one of several the club is working on, without naming a confirmed buyer — so treat Newcastle as the most-reported destination rather than a done deal.

If the Newcastle-Frattesi move does go through, it clears the way for Inter to finally return with the bid they've wanted to make on Jones for months.

How much is Liverpool actually getting for Jones?

Less than they originally wanted, but the gap has been narrowing. Liverpool had been holding out for €40m for Jones through most of the window, rejecting several Inter bids that fell short. According to Romano, that's now changed: Liverpool have "slightly lowered their request," and a deal can be struck for around €35m, roughly £30m. That happens to be close to Inter's own stated asking price for Frattesi too, which is part of why the two situations are being reported as connected rather than coincidental.

Jones, 25, has been a regular topic of exit speculation since Arne Slot's arrival, having fallen down the pecking order at Anfield over the past two seasons despite coming through Liverpool's academy. He's also entering the final year of his contract, which runs out in 2027 — a factor that's pushed Liverpool toward selling now rather than risk losing him for nothing next summer.

Who else is involved in Liverpool's business this summer?

Plenty. Liverpool have already brought in Jeremy Jacquet, Victor Munoz, and Ronald Araujo on loan with an option to buy for €55m, addressing their defensive options first. Attention has since shifted wide, with Liverpool continuing to pursue PSG's Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye. Should either arrive, that could open the door for Tottenham to move for Cody Gakpo, with The Athletic naming Gakpo, Federico Chiesa and Jones among the players who could leave Anfield before the window shuts.

What happens next?

Inter will try again for Jones once Frattesi's move is resolved, with Romano indicating the Italian club are ready to push before the transfer window closes. There's reason to think Jones himself won't be the obstacle: Italian reporter Gianluigi Longari has said the midfielder has already agreed personal terms with Inter, and has turned down interest from both Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest while he waits for the clubs to sort out a fee.

Letting Jones go at £30m would mean Liverpool settling for well below their earlier valuation. But with three new arrivals already in and a squad reshuffle clearly under way, it may be a trade-off they're willing to make to get the deal off the books before deadline day.