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It might be a quiet January for Liverpool but the names being mentioned for the summer make for exciting reading.
Unlike Chelsea, Liverpool don’t sign promising young players with the hope that they can be developed and sold at a profit.
The other difference is, players like the ones signed last summer had already played over 100 games and proven that they are the real deal rather than just an exciting prospect. It is a plan that will bear fruit long term if Arne Slot can get more of a tune out of his expensively assembled squad and injuries are kind
Who should Liverpool sell to sign Adam Wharton?
One player who must be near the top of the list is Yan Diomande, the RB Leipzig winger lighting up the Bundesliga and who could be another big money transfer chase in the summer. The 19-year old would be exciting, but what could be the signing of the summer is the interest in Adam Wharton. Liverpool are said to be leading the chase for the Crystal Palace playmaker.
At 21-years old, Wharton plays like a seasoned professional and would dovetail perfectly alongside Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai. His composure, reading of the game and passing range would allow those around him to do what they do best whilst he concentrates on linking the defence to the attack.
Despite starting against Marseille. Alexis Mac Allister would be the most obvious player to sell rather than the home grown Curtis Jones. Mac Allister is industrious, but he isn’t on the same level as his teammates in terms of passing range or ball carrying ability.
At the end of last season, Slot spoke highly of Mac Allister, but this season he has looked like a different player, but not in a good way.
"He is one of the few players in the world that combines this great game intelligence, great on the ball, but [with] a tenacity without the ball. In our midfield, he stands out in terms of tenacity,” Slot said via Liverpool’s website. Ironically, this description now fits nicely for Wharton.
Just how good is Adam Wharton?
One person who is a fan is Declan Rice, Wharton’s England teammate who has the Crystal Palace midfielder amongst the very best, via the Eagles official website: “I think there's a difference you can see between players that are top-level players at 20, and players that are just on the cusp of stuff.
“And he's top-level, he's really, really top-level. At 20 years old, he sees a pass early, left and right foot. It's impressive the way he passes the ball, whether it's only five or ten yards, there's just a crispness to it that's really impressive. He's really calm, composed, and relaxed. You speak to the Crystal Palace boys about him, he's shocked them on how well he's done. But look, he's 20 years old, this is his first tournament.
“It's so important we don't put too much pressure on him, let's just let him flourish. England have an amazing midfielder that's going to come through, I'm sure, for the next 10, 15 years.”
Rice is right. Wharton is already a top talent, and he is only going to get better.
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