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Inter Milan could give up young star to seal Curtis Jones transfer after activating clause Inter Milan could have a new route to signing Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, who missed Sunday's preseason friendly against Monaco due to injury, this summer Inter Milan is not giving up in its pursuit of Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, if recent reports from Italy are anything to go by. The Reds academy product is about to enter the final 12 months of his contract at Anfield, and so far, there has been little indication that an extension is on the horizon. Liverpool would need to sell this summer to avoid losing Jones on a free transfer, but recent examples of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate and Mohamed Salah leaving as free agents suggest the club is not opposed to players running down their deals. Reports of Inter's interest in Jones first emerged in the January transfer window, but a deal never materialized as he remained at Liverpool for the rest of the season. With a new head coach in place this summer, many supporters had hoped the change in leadership could tempt Jones to stay put, but the rumor mill has not slowed down in recent weeks and, if anything, has become even more intense. Liverpool has already reportedly rejected a verbal offer from Inter worth in the region of £21.7 million ($29.2 million). It fell well short of the rumored £35 million ($47 million) Liverpool would be seeking to part ways with the boyhood Red. The latest report from Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests Inter's most straightforward route to raising the necessary funds to sign Jones could be offloading midfielder Aleksandar Stankovic. The 21-year-old was signed by Club Brugge last summer, but back in June, Inter activated the £19.7 million ($26.5 million) buyback clause in the deal. It has been reported in recent days that Inter has already rejected a £34 million ($45 million) offer from Premier League side Brentford for Stankovic. An increased offer from Brentford, or another club, for the Serbia international could tempt Inter into a sale, subsequently raising the funds to finally sign Jones from Liverpool. That said, one thing Inter will most certainly be conscious of is the fact it could sign Jones as a free agent in 12 months if it bides its time. Of course, that poses the risk of the player having a change of heart and extending his stay at Liverpool, as well as increased competition from other clubs given the market opportunity. In the meantime, Jones missed Liverpool's preseason friendly defeat against Monaco at Anfield on Sunday. The Reds initially took a two-goal lead through Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, but a second-half collapse ensured the Ligue 1 outfit walked away with a 3-2 victory. Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola confirmed post-match the reason for Jones' absence, and it doesn't appear to be transfer-related. Instead, it was revealed that he felt some discomfort in his hip during training on Saturday and wasn't risked as a result. The Reds have just two friendlies remaining, with Como set to visit next week for back-to-back games, one of which will be played behind closed doors. Then, Liverpool's Premier League campaign gets underway on August 23 with a trip to take on Newcastle. Liverpool's current midfield options, alongside Jones, include Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Trey Nyoni, Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott and Florian Wirtz. James McConnell and Stefan Bajcetic could also be options if needed, but it can be argued that any possible exit for Jones should prompt Liverpool to explore the market for a replacement.