What's next for Curtis Jones as Inter Milan step up their interest?

That wasn't a dig at Jurgen Klopp, who Jones credited for changing him from a boy to a man, but rather an indication that he preferred playing for a side where the midfielders were the heart of a team.

A few months later, the Liverpool midfielder made his England debut under Lee Carsley and capped it off with a memorable back-heel flick in Athens for his first international goal.

So when Thomas Tuchel named his first England squad in March 2025, it came as little surprise to anyone that Jones was included.

That 2024-25 season, where Liverpool won the Premier League title, was the campaign where the boy from Toxteth truly took the next step.

Yet a year on, the 25-year-old finds himself with a decision to make.

Jones' current Liverpool deal expires next summer and though he has been in talks over a new contract for several months, an extension is yet to be agreed.

If you asked Jones last summer, he would have expected to become an integral part of the Liverpool side and would certainly have had genuine ambitions of going to the World Cup.

Instead, he went to Los Angeles on vacation before the tournament began and was at the Monaco Grand Prix last week.

Under Slot, Jones struggled to become a regular starter in the heart of midfield - which is what he wants to be - and finished the campaign primarily as an emergency right-back for Liverpool.

By the end of Slot's tenure, Jones was posting a clapping emoji under Mohamed Salah's social media post which called for Liverpool to change their style of play.

Crucial to Jones' next steps will be those initial discussions with new boss Andoni Iraola and figuring out where he stands under the Spaniard.

For Liverpool, they certainly do not want to lose the only Scouser in the first-team but if Jones wants out and a suitable offer in the range of £35m is made, the understanding is that they will not stand in his way.

Put simply, they can sell now and generate a profit on a home-grown asset.

The question is whether such a fee will be paid when Jones would be available for a free next summer.

It would be another failure on Liverpool's part, after losing Ibrahima Konate, Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson on a free, if they were to let an academy graduate who has made more than 200 senior appearances leave in the same manner.

Inter Milan were interested in his availability in January, and earlier this month Pierre Ausilio, Inter's sporting director, said: "Curtis Jones - we are paying attention to him. We didn't hide. We understand what the developments will be."

Federico Chiesa went as far as telling La Gazetta that Jones asked him what it is like to live in Italy. Chiesa told him the weather was certainly better in Milan than it is in Liverpool.

The prospect is there, with Jones knowing that he would be a key part of an Inter side that sees him as one of their main priorities for the summer.

For Jones, whose close friend Anthony Gordon moved to Barcelona, perhaps the glamour of Milan is appealing.

Yet there is certainly a different dimension to this debate, given Jones' background and his own ambitions. His frank nature and willingness to take responsibility, as well as his versatility, are all attributes praised widely by those at Liverpool.

Jones stepped up to take the third penalty against PSG in the Champions League in 2025 and after his spot-kick was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma, he said it was all a part of his journey.

"I can live with missing, but I can't live without taking responsibility. I see myself as being a lad who wants to take risks. I want to be a lad who's relied on by the team, the staff, the fans, and I want to be a huge star," Jones told GQ in 2025.

From a Liverpool perspective, they must also assess the value that Jones brings to the dressing room when it comes to understanding the club and the fanbase.

With a number of senior figures leaving this summer and the likes of Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez all on contracts that run out next summer, perhaps it would make sense for Iraola to see if there is a future with Jones when pre-season starts next month, before both parties can decide on next steps.

There is no doubt that Jones is a terrific asset to have in a squad and it's worth noting that he actually played more games last season than in any other campaign for Liverpool. But 21 of those 49 appearances came off the bench and he only started 10 Premier League games in midfield.

The question too is whether he would still be content with such a role?

"I want to be humble and not say things like I'm going to be captain and things like that but I want to be captain of the team," he told Sky Sports in December.

"I want to stay here all my life like the man I look up to in every way. That's Steven Gerrard and everybody knows that. If I could follow him, that would be great. I would never complain and I'd always have a smile on my face."

That much is enough to know about Jones' long-term ambitions but in the here and now, Liverpool know that it is imperative for a decision to be made this summer.

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