There is a quiet confidence emanating from Anfield these days, a sense that the club's valuation of its own assets is no longer a matter for negotiati...
There is a quiet confidence emanating from Anfield these days, a sense that the club's valuation of its own assets is no longer a matter for negotiation. That much was made abundantly clear when Inter Milan came calling with a verbal offer for Curtis Jones, a bid of 25 million euros, or roughly £21.7 million. The response from Liverpool's hierarchy was swift and emphatic. No. Not even close.Let's be honest, the notion that a homegrown midfielder who has already shown genuine flashes of Premier League quality would be allowed to leave for that sum is almost laughable. Jones is not some bit. part player scraping for minutes in the Carabao Cup. He is a scouser, a product of the academy, and a footballer who possesses that rare blend of technical security and tactical flexibility that modern managers crave. He can operate in a double pivot, he can push forward into the half spaces, and he has started to show a greater awareness of defensive transitions.Inter, for their part, are clearly trying to play the long game. They know Liverpool's midfield has been a revolving door of talent in recent windows, and they are hoping that the player might agitate for a move to Serie A where the pace is slower but the tactical discipline is relentless. But this is a club that rejected a £150 million bid for Luis Diaz not so long ago. They are not going to be bullied into underselling a player who still has plenty to offer Jurgen Klopp's system.The real question here is whether Jones himself sees a clear pathway to regular starts. With Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai now established fixtures, and the emergence of Harvey Elliott as a creative force, the competition is fierce. But Liverpool are not in the business of weakening their squad depth for a fee that covers maybe half a season of wages for a top striker.This is a firm message to the rest of Europe. You want Curtis Jones You pay the full price. And right now, that price is significantly higher than £21.7 million. The ball is in Inter's court, but Liverpool have made it clear they will not be rushed into a decision that weakens their own core.
