Inter Milan have officially confirmed the acquisition of Curtis Jones following a £30m (€35m) transfer from Liverpool, bringing an end to a significant chapter in the midfielder's career at Anfield.
According to Sky Sports News, the agreement includes a 10 per cent sell-on clause as part of the deal structure. Reports indicate the package comprises an initial €30m fee plus up to €5m in performance-related add-ons, rather than a single flat payment.
The 25-year-old midfielder was in his final contract year at Liverpool when the Italian club moved to secure his services. His departure marks the conclusion of a 16-year relationship with the Reds, having arrived at the club's academy at just nine years old.
Jones made his competitive debut during the 2018/19 season and went on to make 228 appearances for Liverpool, contributing 22 goals from midfield. During his time on Merseyside, he collected an impressive trophy haul including two Premier League titles, two Carabao Cups, the Club World Cup and the FA Cup, though he was also part of the squad that finished as Champions League runners-up in 2022.
The England international becomes the third player from the Premier League to join Inter during this transfer window, following John Stones and Djed Spence in making the switch to Cristian Chivu's side.
According to ESPN, Jones was already in Milan and scheduled to complete his medical on Friday, with the Italian club expected to finalise all remaining formalities immediately afterwards. Italian reports suggest the midfielder will sign a five-year contract with the Nerazzurri.
Inter had previously pursued Jones in January, but Liverpool resisted selling him at that stage. The Serie A club made multiple bids before finally reaching agreement, with one report indicating a €32m offer had still fallen short of Liverpool's original valuation.
Jones had long expressed his desire to join Inter, with personal terms having been agreed earlier in the year, making this move the culmination of sustained interest from the Italian outfit.
Impact on Liverpool's midfield structure
Jones' exit leaves new Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola with significant decisions to make regarding his midfield composition. Under previous head coach Arne Slot, Jones featured in 49 matches, with 34 of those appearances coming during Liverpool's disappointing Premier League title defence campaign. He shared midfield duties with Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, while also being deployed as a makeshift right-back on occasions.
Iraola has signalled his intention to deploy Florian Wirtz in his preferred number 10 position within a 4-2-3-1 formation going forward. This tactical setup means Szoboszlai, Mac Allister and Gravenberch will compete for two central midfield spots in front of the defensive line.
The Basque manager also has Wataru Endo available for selection, alongside academy prospect Trey Nyoni, who has impressed during pre-season preparations. Liverpool have not ruled out reinvesting the £30m received from Jones' sale into a replacement midfielder before the transfer window closes.
What comes next
According to Yahoo Sports, Jones was expected to complete his medical examination on Friday and sign his contract in Milan shortly afterwards. The official announcement is anticipated before Inter's Serie A opener against Monza on Saturday, allowing the club to unveil their new signing ahead of their domestic campaign.
