Liverpool have blocked further Curtis Jones transfer talks with Inter Milan.
The Serie A champions made their latest offer for the homegrown midfielder which is understood to stand in the region of £21 million which was rejected.
Jones enters the final 12 months of his existing contract at Anfield and has been heavily linked with a move to the San Siro since the January window.
But the Reds are refusing to entertain further negotiations with the Nerazzurri due to what they perceive as a signficant distance between their valuations.
Andoni Iraola’s side value Jones closer to £40M than the figure proposed by Inter, who are prepared to pursue alternative targets over the Toxteth native.
A trend of high offers for Premier League midfielders this summer is understood to be behind Liverpool’s current valuation of the 25-year-old.
Manchester City are set to pay £100M for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson while Newcastle are holding out for an identical figure to sell Sandro Tonali.
The market for players in their final year is also a factor after Tottenham paid £52M for Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke in remaining final 12 months.
Jones’ versatility, having also deputised at right-back on several occasions last season, strengthens Liverpool’s case to have their asking price met.
The academy graduate would become the fourth first-team regular to depart this summer after Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate.