Liverpool just reached a verbal agreement with Inter Milan for Curtis Jones, their midfielder scouser, who joined the Reds from their academy at just nine. Jones made his senior debut in 2019 and went on to make over 200 appearances for Liverpool.
Inter Milan has shown consistent interest in the English midfielder since the beginning of the 2026 summer transfer window. On 19 August, 2026, the story changed as a deal worth £30 million ( €35 million) was agreed for the 25-year-old English player.
So why did he actually leave? The answer is a mix of three things: a stalled career on the pitch, an already running-out contract, and one very public flashpoint during the 2026 pre-season games that made the writing on the wall impossible to ignore.
The Deal Breakdown: How Much Liverpool Got for Curtis Jones
Before the agreement between the two clubs for Jones’ transfer, Liverpool had already rejected two earlier bids, as reported by BBC Sport. The first £21.7 million bid was rejected as the club valued him at about £35 million.
It took a third offer worth an initial £25.7 million, with £4.3 million in add-ons pushing the fee to £30 million, before the two clubs found common ground. Liverpool also negotiated a 10% sell-on clause, meaning they will benefit if Inter Milan later sells Jones at a profit.
Jones has been reported to have travelled to complete his medical ahead of Inter’s new Serie A campaign, which opens with a match against Monza on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
Reason Why Liverpool Let Jones Go
Curtis Jones is one of Liverpool’s longest-serving players, as he spent over 16 years at the club, coming through the academy to earn a place in the senior team. Anyone would think this sort of devotion to a boyhood club would give room to a longer tenure at the club, but here are reasons for his departure;
He Could Never Nail Down a Starting Role:
The most consistent theme across every report on Jones’ transfers is his inability to hold a guaranteed starting role under any Liverpool manager, not under Klopp or his successor Slot.
Despite racking up over 200 appearances in his nine seasons at the club, he has always been the midfield backup option. In the 2025/2026 season, he was even moved to play as right back, just to keep other key midfielders like Dominik Szoboszlai in their natural roles rather than disrupting the entire structure.
At 25 and heading into the final year of his contract, Jones reportedly made it clear he wanted regular football, something he felt could offer him more reliably than Liverpool could.
The Pre-Season Captaincy Incident:
During Liverpool’s Pre-season tour in the United States, Jones was involved in an on-field row with teammate Dominik Szoboszlai and Kostas Tsimikas over the captaincy, in their 1:0 win against Wrexham in New York.
However, Jones issued an apology on Instagram shortly after the incident, but multiple reports already described the altercation as the kind of moment that made a parting of ways feel like a sensible outcome. That particular moment appears to have accelerated the conversation about his departure.
End of His Contract:
Curtis is in the last season of his contract with Liverpool, and there is no clear indication of an extension. The club selling him stands as the safest option, instead of letting him go as a free agent in the summer of 2027.
Liverpool has recently lost talented players, such as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate, for free, so the case of Curtis Jones would be different because selling him for £30 million is a huge profit for the club.
Curtis Jones Replacement
Jones departure has definitely left a space in that midfield which needs filling. At the moment, the only name that rings a bell is Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace, who has a price tag of £78 million. He has more than the ability to fill Jones’ shoes at Liverpool, and his outstanding passing range will give Iraola an immediate upgrade over Jones.
Liverpool would need to move extra fast if they plan on signing Wharton, as it is reported that Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Chelsea all have eyes on the player.
However, Flashscore Source claims that Liverpool may not sign a replacement for Jones, as the club sees Trey Nyoni as set for the bigger stage. Nyoni has been impressive in the midfield and even looked sharper during the pre-season, giving fans the impression he could surpass the Level of Jones at the club.
Other likely names on the club’s watch list include: Lamine Camara of Monaco, Kaishu Sano of Mainz, and Alex Scott of Bournemouth. With less than two weeks left in the transfer market, Liverpool could dip into the market for any of these players or just rely on Nyoni for the 2026/2027 season.
