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SportFootballLiverpool FCLiverpool have rejected a second offer from Inter for Curtis Jones with the Reds growing frustrated by the lack of progress over talksLiverpool have rejected a second offer from Inter for Curtis Jones, with the £21.7m proposal falling well short of their valuation of the midfielder.The Reds have been in talks with the Serie A champions for a number of weeks after they were initially rebuffed in January.However, Inter's ballpark offers for Jones are nowhere near Liverpool's valuation of their Academy graduate. Liverpool are looking for much closer to £35m for Jones, who finished the campaign as a makeshift right-back under Arne Slot.The latest bid, which was said to have been communicated verbally, remains nearly £15m below what Liverpool feel is a fair sum for Jones, who is inside the final year of his contract at Anfield.The club have used Conor Gallagher's £35m move to Tottenham Hotspur from Atletico Madrid in January as the yardstick for their figure and are believed to have grown frustrated by Inter's efforts to lure Jones to the San Siro at a knock-down price.This window has also seen midfielders Elliot Anderson, Matheus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali linked with moves away for fees between £80-£100m and having to replace Jones, if a cut-price fee is sanctioned, would be difficult for Liverpool at a time when other targets, like RB Leipzig's £100m-rated Yan Diomande, are being prioritised.Inter first contacted Liverpool towards the end of the January transfer window but found the club in no mood to lose an important first-team player that month.
However, the Italian giants have reignited talks in recent weeks but little progress has been made so far.Liverpool would rather keep Jones for the final year of his deal on Merseyside than lose him this summer for what is deemed to be a derisory sum. Former head coach Slot hinted back in February that talks are open on a new contract, but the prospect of an agreement appears unlikely at this stage with no discussions currently active.Jones is keen for more game-time after just 18 starts last season in the Premier League but it's unclear if Inter will return with the sort of offer that would persuade Liverpool to do business give the gap between the figures.Jones has made 228 appearances for his boyhood club since his debut in January 2019 and has four England caps.FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE!
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