Liverpool and Inter Milan have reached a formal agreement for the permanent transfer of midfielder Curtis Jones in a deal worth €35 million (£30 million), marking the end of a 16-year association between the English international and his boyhood club. According to reports from The Athletic and transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Nerazzurri will pay a guaranteed upfront fee of €30 million, complemented by €5 million in performance-related add-ons.
The 25-year-old midfielder has been granted official permission to travel to Italy to complete his medical examination on Friday, with mandatory physical tests scheduled with the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) around 12:00 local time. The move represents Liverpool’s first permanent player sale of the current summer transfer window, following a succession of high-profile free-agent departures from Anfield.
€35 Million Deal Ends 16-Year Anfield Chapter
Jones leaves Liverpool after joining the club’s youth academy at the age of nine. Over his senior career at Anfield, the midfielder logged 228 official appearances across all competitions, scoring 22 goals. Despite fluctuating squad roles in previous seasons, Jones remained an active tactical asset during the 2025–26 campaign, featuring in 34 of Liverpool’s 38 Premier League fixtures and earning 18 starts.
The financial terms negotiated by Liverpool capture significant value for a player who had entered the final 12 months of his contract. Without a renewal or a summer transfer, Jones would have been eligible to enter preliminary contract discussions with foreign clubs as a free agent beginning in January. Inter had previously tested Liverpool’s resolve with a €25 million offer in June, building upon an initial inquiry during the January transfer window before finally reaching an agreement this week.
Inter’s Growing English Core
Jones’s arrival at the San Siro highlights a distinct recruitment trend for Serie A champions Inter Milan, who have increasingly targeted talent from the English top flight. Jones will become the sixth English player in Inter’s history—following Gerry Hitchens, Paul Ince, Ashley Young, Djed Spence, and John Stones—and remarkably the third English player acquired during this summer window alone.
Inter previously secured central defender John Stones on a free transfer following his departure from Manchester City, alongside wing-back Djed Spence from Tottenham Hotspur. The addition of Jones adds technical versatility, ball retention, and tactical stamina to Inter’s central unit, providing head coach Simone Inzaghi with sustained depth for both domestic defending and European campaigns.
Iraola’s Tactical Restructure and the Pursuit of Adam Wharton
For newly appointed Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola, Jones’s exit creates an immediate void in central midfield ahead of the Premier League opener against Newcastle United on Sunday. While the club is committed to integrating highly regarded teenage prospect Trey Nyoni into first-team rotation, Iraola’s system demands immediate top-tier depth to execute his high-intensity pressing scheme.
To address the structural vacancy, Liverpool has accelerated discussions to sign Crystal Palace central midfielder Adam Wharton. The 22-year-old England international, who moved to Selhurst Park from Blackburn Rovers for £18 million in February 2024, is valued by Crystal Palace at approximately £78 million. Liverpool faces competitive market pressure from Manchester United, Chelsea, and Real Madrid, but considers Wharton a central pillar for long-term squad development alongside recent arrivals Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, and Jeremy Jacquet.
Roster Dynamics and Outgoing Loans
The departure of Jones comes alongside further movement within Liverpool’s academy ranks. Austrian-born home-grown defender Ifeanyi Ndukwe is set to join La Liga side Levante on a season-long loan without a buy option. Although Ndukwe impressed during pre-season training, strict United Kingdom work permit requirements rendered him ineligible to play professionally in the UK this season, necessitating an international loan assignment to acquire the required governing body endorsement (GBE) points.
With defensive injuries creating early-season challenges—including Joe Gomez being sidelined for the opening weeks and incoming defender Giovanni Leoni continuing his integration—Liverpool has stabilized its backline through the arrival of Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona and an encouraging debut goal from 21-year-old Jeremy Jacquet last week. As the transfer deadline approaches, Liverpool’s leadership remains focused on balancing immediate midfield reinforcement with long-term squad compliance.