Liverpool are reluctant to sanction any cut‑price exit for Curtis Jones this summer and will only consider letting him go if a club is willing to meet their full valuation.
Inter Milan this weekend saw a second attempt to sign Jones brushed away, with the Italian champions offering around £21.7million for the Reds midfielder.
Jones, 25, has been at the club since he was a boy but it has been widely speculated that he would leave this summer amid strong interest from Inter, especially with the midfielder only having one year remaining on his contract.
But unless Inter – or another club – put an offer of around £35m-£40m on the table, Liverpool are minded to let him enter the final year of his contract, even if that means losing him for nothing this time next year.
Inter Milan this weekend saw a second attempt to sign Jones brushed away, with the Italian champions offering around £21.7million for the Reds midfielder
They see that Tottenham have signed Jan Paul van Hecke for £52m this month despite the Dutch defender only having a year left on his own contract and that other midfielders, such as £125m-rated Elliot Anderson, are being traded for huge money.
One thing that is not known at this stage is whether Jones himself would push for a move. It was thought he was frustrated by a lack of starts at times in the season just finished, though he did begin the final eight league fixtures to change that view.
Liverpool are not trying to push the midfielder, who has six England caps but is not in the World Cup squad, out of the exit door.
There is currently a gap in expectations from both parties – club and Jones – in terms of a new contract. At this stage nothing is planned for talks to resume over a fresh deal but that could change.
