Inter Milan's pursuit of a new central midfielder continues to centre on Liverpool's Jones, who is waiting to discuss his future with new manager Andoni Iraola before making a decision.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, a €10 million gap remains between Inter's offer — starting around €20 million — and Liverpool's valuation of approximately €30 million plus a sell-on clause, with a compromise figure of around €25 million seen as the likely landing point.
Jones has reportedly been asking Liverpool teammate Federico Chiesa about life in Italy, a detail that has fuelled belief inside Inter that the move suits the player as much as the club.
If the Jones deal cannot be completed, Inter have identified Udinese's Arthur Atta as their primary alternative.
The 23-year-old Frenchman, a compatriot of defensive target Oumar Solet — whose own move to Inter is at an advanced stage — is regarded as an "innovative" midfielder whose dribbling ability would address a quality Inter's engine room has lacked for some time.
Both Inter deals are intertwined. A Solet agreement makes a Udinese relationship easier to leverage for Atta; a Jones breakthrough would make Atta unnecessary.
Inter's midfield — Hakan Çalhanoğlu, captaining Turkey at his first World Cup, alongside Nicolò Barella, Piotr Zieliński, Petar Sučić and Henrikh Mkhitaryan — will all return to Cristian Chivu's side once the tournament concludes, regardless of which additional name joins them.