Inter Milan Finalizes €35M Deal for Liverpool Midfielder Curtis Jones as Medical Underway

The prevailing narrative is that Liverpool is carelessly discarding its local identity by selling Curtis Jones. The reality, however, is a cold calculation of modern football economics. With just 12 months left on his contract and a clear ceiling on his playing time at Anfield, the 25-year-old midfielder has arrived in Italy to finalize a €35 million transfer to Serie A champions Inter Milan.[1][2]

The agreement, struck late Wednesday night after weeks of negotiations, sees Inter pay an initial €30 million with a further €5 million tied to performance add-ons. Crucially for Liverpool's front office, the deal also includes a 10 percent sell-on clause, ensuring the Premier League side will profit if Jones thrives in Italy and eventually moves on to another club.[2][3]

Jones was granted permission to travel on Thursday and is undergoing his customary medical examinations in Milan on Friday afternoon. Barring any late complications, he is expected to put pen to paper on a five-year contract that will keep him at the San Siro until 2031, earning a reported €3.5 million per season.[1][4]

For Jones, the decision to leave his boyhood club after 16 years was driven entirely by a desire for consistent minutes. Despite making 228 senior appearances since his 2019 debut, he struggled to lock down a permanent central midfield role last season under Arne Slot, making just 18 Premier League starts and frequently filling in as a makeshift right-back.[5][7]

New Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola had publicly expressed his desire to retain the Toxteth-born midfielder, valuing both his tactical versatility and his status as the squad's only established local player. However, with Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai firmly ahead of him in the pecking order, Jones recognized that a breakthrough at Anfield remained unlikely.[1][6]

Inter Milan manager Cristian Chivu has been the driving force behind the acquisition. Chivu views Jones as a dynamic, physically robust presence capable of operating across multiple midfield roles, offering a different profile to the Nerazzurri's existing options as they prepare to defend their Scudetto.[4][5]

The move highlights a growing trend of English talent seeking refuge and reinvention in Serie A. Jones becomes the third high-profile Englishman to join Inter this summer, following the arrivals of center-back John Stones and full-back Djed Spence, as the Italian giants actively target Premier League experience.[1][7]

Back on Merseyside, the windfall from the Jones sale will not be immediately reinvested in a direct midfield replacement. Iraola and the Liverpool hierarchy have reportedly decided to trust their current engine-room depth, opting instead to carve out a clearer pathway for 19-year-old academy prospect Trey Nyoni while focusing their remaining transfer budget on wide attackers.[1]

The departure nonetheless leaves a sentimental void at Anfield. As the last direct link between the city's streets and the starting lineup, Jones's exit underscores the ruthless pragmatism required to compete at the summit of European football, where contract leverage often outweighs local romance.[6]