The 25-year-old, whose contract ends in 2027, was approached by both Tottenham and Inter Milan in the winter transfer market.
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In the end, Liverpool decided that no deal would be done for Jones.
There are various accounts as to why the Premier League champions rejected the proposals.
Reliable club insiders in the Merseyside area maintain that the Reds were not looking to weaken the team in January and, in fact, would have been willing to sign players had there been the right deal.
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In Italy, however, they tell a different story: that Jones was available on loan with an option to buy only if he agreed to sign a contract extension with Liverpool.
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Doing so would have kept the creative midfielder’s contract value high; otherwise he would return after a six-month loan period with just one year left on his contract.
No deal was reached, no contract was signed and that means Jones heads into the end of this season shrouded in uncertainty.
Clubs encouraged to bid for Curtis Jones
A Liverpool Echo report now claims that the suitors in January were “encouraged” by Jones’ team to make a bid to capitalize on the contract chaos.
“The contact itself hints at gentle behind-the-scenes encouragement from a player approaching the final year of his contract on Merseyside,” the report reads.
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And there is reason to believe that unless Jones signs a new deal soon, then Richard Hughes will make plans to sell it in the summer of 2026.
Arne Slot spoke to the press ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup match against Brighton, admitting that clubs were entitled to take advantage of Liverpool’s “model” when it comes to players on expiring contracts.
Liverpool’s model makes the sale of Jones inevitable
“I think it is perfectly normal that very good football players are of interest to big clubs, like us, who try to renew with him and to clubs who want to sign him,” he reportedly said.
“And if you come to the end of your contract, I think it’s also normal for other big clubs to think: ‘Hmmm, maybe there’s a deal to be done.’ Because, and I say this every time I’m here lately, you know our model.
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“Other clubs also know our model, so other clubs might think: ‘OK, there’s no use calling them because they’re not selling’, we have a different model. So that could be the reason why there have been some links with other clubs.”
That model saw Luis Díaz and Caoimhin Kelleher, among others, sold last summer as the countdown began on their Liverpool contracts. And just because he’s a local favorite don’t expect Jones’ treatment to be any different.
He has not been able to make his way into Slot’s starting eleven – Especially for the important games this season. Jones has been assigned bench spots against the likes of Real Madrid, Arsenal, Manchester City, Man Utd and Chelsea.
It’s easy to understand why the England player could be growing increasingly frustrated with his current situation. And the best solution for everyone involved may be to separate in the summer.