According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Internazionale has long been following Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, but there is still a gap of about €10 million between the two clubs. Udinese's French midfielder Ata has also entered their radar.
Udinese's technical director Nani previously spoke highly of Ata, saying: "To me, Ata is somewhere between Bellingham and Zidane. Imagine how highly we rate him." On the other hand, Internazionale hopes that after signing Curtis Jones from Liverpool, the English midfielder can replicate McTominay's successful trajectory at Napoli, where an excellent Premier League player became a key figure in Serie A in a very short time. In any case, apart from the defense that Internazionale has been focusing on these past few days, the team's outline for next season is becoming clearer, and the midfield will also undergo a minor restructuring.
Why Curtis Jones?
Currently, negotiations between Internazionale and Curtis Jones are clearly more advanced than those with Ata. The Liverpool midfielder was close to a transfer last January, had inquired with Chiesa about life in Italy, and was eager to start a new life after playing his entire career in the Premier League. He has also reached a preliminary agreement with Internazionale on personal terms. It is worth noting that there is still a gap of about €10 million between Internazionale's offer and Liverpool's asking price. However, Internazionale's coaching staff believes Curtis Jones is the ideal replacement for the departing Frattesi. Curtis Jones is highly adaptable; primarily a midfielder, he has played many positions in England: attacking midfielder, winger, defensive midfielder, and even wing-back, almost like a full-back. Chivu's idea is to place him in the center, as a right central midfielder, to form a high-quality midfield alongside Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, and Sucic, with Mkhitaryan always available as a versatile substitute. If this English player can indeed bring an impact like McTominay, it would be quite significant.
Curtis Jones, now 25, has made over 150 appearances for Liverpool and holds one Champions League title, two Premier League titles, one Club World Cup, and multiple other trophies. He perfectly fits Marotta's description of "experienced foreign players" mentioned by the Internazionale president, and is also an important criterion for Internazionale when looking for players this summer. Less than a year ago, the well-known transfer website Transfermarkt valued Curtis Jones at €50 million. Considering his age and ability, this figure could have continued to rise, but due to reduced playing time and his contract having only one year left, his value has dropped to €35 million. Internazionale is looking to capitalize on this to acquire this high-level player at a lower cost.
Why Ata?
During Internazionale's meeting with Udinese on Tuesday, in addition to the name Soule – who was the main focus of the meeting, and for whom Internazionale had raised their offer at the time – Arthur Ata was also brought up. He is currently just an alternative, but if negotiations between Internazionale and Liverpool for Curtis Jones ultimately fall through, Ata would be a well-regarded substitute. Compared to Curtis Jones, the two do not have identical technical characteristics, but Ata also possesses the ability to adapt to the team. The Frenchman is also very versatile, though he leans more towards the attacking areas rather than central midfield. In the recently concluded season, the Rennes-born Ata mainly played as a right central midfielder, where he made the most appearances; he also played as an attacking midfielder, supported Davies on the wing, and played across the entire flank during matches. Comparing him to Zidane and Bellingham, within appropriate proportions, is not an exaggeration: Ata is the type of elegant, fast, and physically strong midfielder. People might assume that because of his tall physique, he wouldn't have delicate ball control skills, but he always manages to showcase this technique. In short, he is the kind of player who excels at "stepping over" opponents.
Internazionale is well aware of this, because the 23-year-old's first Serie A goal was scored at the beginning of the season, when Udinese defeated Internazionale away at San Siro in the second league round. That goal was a forward run, a drive, and a right-footed curled shot to the far post. It was also his first goal after a year of adaptation in Italy. Throughout the season, he scored a total of 5 goals and provided 4 assists, attracting the attention of several clubs in the transfer market, including Internazionale, who may turn their mere interest into more concrete actions in the coming weeks.
laqracka_
2
don't let CJ go 😭