Inter Milan’s sporting director has publicly confirmed the club’s interest in Curtis Jones, leaving Liverpool with a difficult decision over the midfielder whose contract expires next summer. “Curtis Jones – we are paying attention to him. We didn’t hide,” Pierre Ausilio said earlier this month, reigniting a pursuit that began in January.
Jones, 25, is the only Scouser in Liverpool’s first team, but his relationship with the club has frayed. Under Arne Slot he struggled to secure a regular midfield role and finished last season primarily as an emergency right‑back. By the end of Slot’s tenure, Jones posted a clapping emoji under Mohamed Salah’s social‑media post criticising the team’s style of play. He then watched the World Cup from Los Angeles, not the squad, and was seen at the Monaco Grand Prix last week.
“Inter Milan publicly target Curtis Jones; Liverpool face losing him for free. Arsenal set £20m price on Gabriel Jesus.”
Liverpool do not want to lose him, but if Jones asks to leave and a suitable offer of around £35m arrives, the understanding is they will not stand in his way. The alternative is letting him walk for free next summer – a pattern that has already cost them Ibrahima Konaté, Salah and Andy Robertson. New manager Andoni Iraola’s first talks with Jones will be crucial.
Jones made his England debut under Lee Carsley, scoring with a back‑heel flick in Athens, and was named in Thomas Tuchel’s first squad in March 2025. But after the highs of Liverpool’s 2024‑25 Premier League title win, his career has stalled.
Across London, Arsenal are willing to let Gabriel Jesus leave this summer for a fee of between £18m and £20m, according to The Athletic. The 29‑year‑old forward, who wears the No.9 shirt, has one year left on his contract after an ACL injury curtailed his game time – just 31 league appearances over the past two campaigns. He scored only 10 league goals in his last three seasons, one fewer than his first campaign at Arsenal, and ended the 2025‑26 season with six goals in 27 appearances in all competitions.
Jesus wants to stay. “I still have a year left on my contract with Arsenal. I want to play, I want to prove to myself that I can play at a high level,” he told ESPN after the final fixture against Crystal Palace, in which he scored. “Today I could have scored two or three more goals. This shows me that I’m still a player who can perform at a high level even with such a serious injury.”
If Jesus leaves, the No.9 shirt could go to Viktor Gyökeres (currently No.14), Kai Havertz (who has worn No.29 throughout his career because his brother always chose it on FIFA), or a new signing. Arsenal are monitoring Julian Álvarez, Bradley Barcola, Christos Tzolis and Morgan Rogers, per football.london.