Aston Villa urged to make no-brainer midfield signing after Liverpool reject two Inter bids

Former Aston Villa defender Alan Hutton has urged his old club to raid Liverpool for a player he believes “would bring something else” to Unai Emery’s side, despite Harvey Elliott’s failed loan switch from Anfield in the 2025/26 campaign.

Villa are looking to bolster Emery’s squad ahead of the club’s Champions League return next season, with defender Modou Kéba Cissé the only new arrival to date after agreeing a pre-contract switch to Villa Park in the summer of 2025.

Emery is open to adding more depth to multiple positions this summer, with Aston Villa reportedly submitting a surprise offer for former Tottenham right-back Emerson Royal, while Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade is also on their radar.

Keeping Morgan Rogers out of the clutches of some of the big boys will arguably be their biggest priority this summer, though, with Arsenal remaining the biggest threat in that regard.

However, Hutton believes his old club need to be focusing their attention on trying lure Liverpool and England midfielder Curtis Jones to the club.

As our sources have previously indicated, Serie A giants are trying to secure a deal for the 25-year-old, having already seen two offers for Jones knocked back.

Their latest bid for the homegrown Liverpool star was for £21million (€24m, $28m), but it’s our understanding that the Reds value Jones at nearer to £35m (€40m, $46m).

Inter’s two initial bids were based off the fact that Jones, who only started half of Liverpool’s Premier League outings over the past two seasons, has just over a year left on his contract at Anfield.

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Hutton backs Jones fit at Aston Villa

Hutton, though, believes Jones would be a smart signing for Villa and enable Emery to rotate his midfield more and not suffer from a drop of quality, as the games come thick and fast in 2026/27.

“I think Curtis Jones would complement the midfield at Aston Villa very well,” Hutton told PariuriX.com.

“Whenever he plays, you can see his quality. He always wants the ball and always brings something to the table.

“He wants to carry the ball from the back, he wants to play in tight areas and break the lines. He has the quality to do it, and he can play in different positions as well.

“I think bringing someone like him into the squad who has played at a very high level before can complement the team. He would be a good signing.

“It was a different situation with Harvey Elliott, and I do feel sorry for him. I like him as a player, but he went through some tough times, also with his contract situation.

“He is more of a winger, and it didn’t really work, but I think Jones would bring something else.”

Meanwhile, TEAMtalk sources can reveal that Villa are currently leading the pursuit for a top West Ham star, following the Hammers’ relegation to the Championship.

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