Curtis Jones has opened up on his decision to leave Liverpool to sign for Internazionale and defended the quality of Serie A following his move to Italy
Curtis Jones has claimed it was an ‘easy choice’ to join Internazionale in the summer despite his ‘special bond’ with Liverpool supporters.
The England international called time on his Reds career after eight senior years with his boyhood club, where he made 228 appearances, returning 22 goals and 22 assists, and won two Premier League titles, two League Cups, the FA Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Having seen Liverpool reject Inter’s advances back in January, Jones ended up joining the Serie A champions in a £25m deal back in August.
The 25-year-old has already emerged as a popular player with Inter supporters, having made five appearances for the club to date, though he is currently sidelined with an adductor injury.
Jones could face his former side in January with Liverpool set to travel to the San Siro in the Champions League league phase, while he was a member of the Reds team that won away at Inter in last year’s competition.
And that trip to Milan with Liverpool played a decisive role in his decision to sign for the Serie A giants, with the midfielder already spotting similarities between his old club and his new employers.
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“When we played against Inter in the Champions League, I immediately noticed the connection between players and fans,” he said. “Liverpool and I have always had this special bond with the fans, our twelfth man on the pitch.
“I think the same thing applies to those who love Inter. So it was an easy choice (to join the club).”
Meanwhile, Jones is convinced Inter can have a strong year in this season’s Champions League, as he disputed claims that Serie A is not as strong as the Premier League.
“I'm 100% convinced we can be competitive in the Champions League,” he told DAZN, as quoted by TUTTOmercatoWEB. “If I look at my teammates, in terms of quality and individuality, there's the ability to score, provide assists, create chances.
“I feel a strong team spirit, a general energy. We're capable of coming back, even when the opponent scores first. We're not scared. We don't lose our heads.
“The fans are fantastic. That also helps a lot. I simply feel that the team has what it takes. I would never have chosen a team that didn't have everything it needs. There may be some details that need improving, but the gap isn't that big.”
He continued: “From the outside, everyone thinks Serie A is a slower league and that the level isn't as high. I only partially agree.
“The games are slower because of the way our opponents approach us. At Liverpool, it was exactly the same.
“Being one of the strongest teams in the league, our opponents rarely pressed us, but they made everything more difficult by blocking low.
“If you're the strongest team, with the best players, that's what your opponents will do. In Italy as in England.”
Jones also defended his own contributions on the pitch, both at former club Liverpool and for Inter, as he insisted his team-mates can see the value he brings to the side even if others cannot.
“I'll never be shy. I'll never be afraid,” he said. “I don't want to be a player who always has an easy way out. I want to take risks with the ball, even under pressure.
“When it works, it's fantastic, but I have to accept that it can't always be that way. There are things I do on the pitch that my teammates notice and that the fans might not.
“I know that football today is measured in statistics, goals, and assists. I may not score as many goals as others, but I do many other things on the pitch that my teammates and staff notice and appreciate.”
