Liverpool player’s exit now seems increasingly likely with contract talks ‘effectively ceased’

‘The Reds would bank pure profit on the midfielder under the Premier League’s new squad cost ratio rules, but replacing the sort of versatile, committed and homegrown player that can be crucial to major silverware will not be easy.

‘There is no doubt that the 25-year-old’s desire for more minutes will be cited should he leave as expected but, unlike in the case of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure, Liverpool will not be entirely blameless when it comes to this latest loss of a hugely talented academy graduate.

”Ultimately, they must ask whether Jones would have been quite so eager to leave had he not been so often unfairly kept out of the side by players whose form did not merit it this season.’

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Jones now seems increasingly likely to leave Liverpool

With a trusted Liverpool-focused journalist in Lynch hinting at the growing possiblity of a summer exit for Jones amid the impasse over his contractual situation, it seems increasingly likely that the academy graduate could move on from his boyhood club in the near future.

Sources vary as to the amount of his weekly wage (figures as diverse as £50,000 to £110,000 are cited online), but either way he’s in the lower half of the pay scale among his teammates, despite now being 25 and having surpassed 200 appearances for the Reds.

Between that and a continually limited supply of Premier League starts (just 15 this season, four fewer than last term), it’d be understandable if the Toxteth native were to desire a fresh challenge elsewhere, with the chance to compete for major honours with Inter undoubtedly an attractive proposition.

Jones may feel somewhat underappreciated at Liverpool, especially when some of his underlying performance figures are among the best in the English top flight, and it’d also be a shame to lose the one remaining Scouser in the first-team squad.

With contract talks now appearing to have ‘ceased’, the possibility of a summer exit for our number 17 is growing by the day. We certainly wouldn’t begrudge him the opportunity to test himself elsewhere, but we just hope that if he is allowed to depart, Anfield chiefs aren’t left with major regrets in future years.