Liverpool are unexpectedly ready to consider offering Curtis Jones a fresh contract, even though the midfielder was involved in a tense on-field exchange with team-mate Dominik Szoboszlai. Jones has entered the final year of his current deal and has drawn strong transfer interest from Inter Milan, but the club are now inclined towards tying him down for the long term at Anfield rather than cashing in.

Transfer interest and contract U-turn

As per talkSPORT, Liverpool are not actively looking to move Jones on this summer, despite the widely discussed clash with Szoboszlai. In a pre-season win over Wrexham, Jones was clearly unhappy when Szoboszlai passed the captain's armband to Kostas Tsimikas. Jeremie Frimpong and Tsimikas stepped in to calm the situation.

Explaining the development, journalist Ben Jacobs said: "And yet, if the window shuts, we might get the opposite extreme, because Andoni Iraola’s said that he likes Curtis Jones – and despite the bust-up you mentioned, Liverpool are not averse to offering Jones a new deal if he stays." Jones has a little under a year left on his contract, which means Liverpool are keen to avoid the risk of losing him on a free transfer.

Inter Milan bid rejected

Inter Milan have tried more than once to sign Jones, but Liverpool have stood firm over their asking price. Speaking to talkSPORT, Jacobs outlined the state of the discussions. Jacobs said: "Inter are pushing for Curtis Jones. They made an offer, in inverted commas – although Liverpool don’t really see it as a formal bid – in the region of €35million (approximately £29m) and that’s their third approach – €32million and €25million were the other numbers. And Jones would welcome a move to Inter. Liverpool want a minimum of €40m and in this inflated market, some people are even saying €50m."

Formal approach required

Liverpool appear to be losing patience with informal contact and want Inter Milan to submit a proper proposal if they are serious about signing Jones. The Anfield hierarchy want direct communication instead of negotiations being handled through intermediaries. Jacobs further explained Liverpool’s exact position as the transfer window moves on. He added: "But my sense is Inter will be back and Liverpool are a bit frustrated by this because they don’t want it through intermediaries anymore. The perspective of the club, according to my info, is if Inter want Curtis Jones – a bit like Bruno Guimaraes, Newcastle-Arsenal – knock on our front door, make us a formal offer and then you might find a financial compromise."

What next for Liverpool?

Liverpool will continue to monitor Jones closely through the rest of their pre-season programme in August. If Inter Milan do not come forward with an official offer that meets Liverpool’s valuation, the club are expected to move swiftly towards contract extension talks. Sorting out his future before the competitive season starts remains a major priority, with Liverpool keen to maintain complete squad harmony after the contentious incident involving Szoboszlai.