Liverpool have rejected a €25m offer from Inter for Curtis Jones and told the Serie A champions the bid is so far from their valuation of the midfielder they do not want further talks.
Inter made a second proposal to try and sign the England international but it was rejected by Liverpool, who feel Jones is worth around £40m, not the £21m Inter have proposed.
Jones is out of contract next summer and Liverpool risk losing him on a free transfer in 12 months’ time but they are holding out for a higher fee for the Merseysider.
But Liverpool hope that Jones stays at Anfield and have not given up hope he will sign a new contract.
Inter believe they have an agreement with Jones but are not willing to pay £40m. They have other midfield targets including Manu Kone of Roma.
Inter first showed an interest in Jones at the end of the January transfer window and recently Liverpool’s Italy international Federico Chiesa said the 25-year-old has been asking him about the Milan club.
But Liverpool feel Inter have lowballed them with a £21m bid as they take note of the prices in the midfield market, with Manchester City offering over £100m for Elliot Anderson and players such as Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes expected to command far higher amounts.
They are aware, too, that Tottenham have paid £52m for Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke who, like Jones, only had a year left on his contract.
Jones made 49 appearances last year for Liverpool, but only started 18 Premier League matches. He finished the season in Arne Slot’s team but playing at right-back.
