Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones has reportedly approved a move to Inter Milan as negotiations over a contract extension at Anfield reach a total standstill. According to reports from Sportitalia, the 25-year-old is open to joining the Serie A leaders this summer, prompting Liverpool to identify Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton as a priority replacement in a deal that could reach £80m. Inter previously saw a €40m (£34.3m) loan-to-buy offer rejected in January 2026 but are now preparing a permanent bid to secure the Englishman ahead of interest from Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.
Stalled contract talks and Inter Milan interest
Jones is entering the final year of his current deal, which expires in June 2027, leaving Liverpool in a vulnerable negotiating position. Speaking on the Empire of the Kop podcast, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that discussions between the club and the player’s representatives are on "total standby," warning that several suitors are now monitoring the lack of progress. While Liverpool blocked an exit in the winter window due to squad depth concerns, the player is understood to be seeking more regular first-team football after managing only 13 Premier League starts this season. Sportitalia suggests Inter view Jones as the primary successor to Davide Frattesi, and having already secured the player's blessing, the Italian club is confident of finalising a fee this summer.
Tactical shift and the Wharton contingency
The pursuit of Adam Wharton signal's Liverpool's intent to continue the midfield evolution initiated under Arne Slot. Wharton, 22, has seen his valuation soar since his move to Selhurst Park, with Crystal Palace reportedly demanding a fee between £70m and £80m—a figure that would eclipse the club-record £50m received from Manchester United for Aaron Wan-Bissaka in 2019. This potential recruitment mirrors the £150m spent during the 2023 overhaul of the engine room but at a steeper individual premium. While former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant argued on talkSPORT that the club should retain Jones for his "versatility" across midfield and at right-back, the stall in contract talks suggests the hierarchy is preparing for a significant transition of the club's homegrown core.
Liverpool must now decide whether to meet Palace's record valuation for Wharton or risk losing Jones for a diminished fee as he approaches the final months of his deal.