Adam Wharton is the subject of intense Premier League interest with several top clubs vying for the chance to sign him this summer, but Crystal Palace are demanding a huge fee.
After his performances for the Eagles this season, it came as a major shock to most that Thomas Tuchel did not include Wharton in his England squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Few midfielders in the top flight possess the same composure and technical quality as Wharton, much less in the English contingent.
For clubs interested in signing the 23-year-old, it will make it simpler to get a deal done given he will not be focused on the tournament in North America even if he belongs there.
Andy Towsend has urged Chelsea to snap him up, saying: “I could see a Moises Caicedo and Adam Wharton axis as the future of Chelsea.”
Despite being a good fit for the Blues, the London Evening Standard journalist Alan Nixon reports that Chelsea have cooled their interest in signing Wharton given the exorbitant £100m asking price Palace have set for Wharton.
? According to @samuelluckhurst, Adam Wharton wants to join a Champions League club after playing an instrumental role in Crystal Palace’s golden period of FA Cup and Europa Conference League triumphs. pic.twitter.com/dYKVwYAnyT
— Palace Report (@PalaceReport) June 8, 2026
Liverpool “really appreciate” Wharton as fans told to “keep an eye” on this transfer
Speaking on talkSPORT, journalist Ben Jacobs said has urged Liverpool supporters to keep an eye on central midfield as a key area for the Reds to strengthen this summer, with Wharton reportedly a top target for them.
He said: “Keep an eye on central midfield. Adam Wharton is a player really appreciated by Liverpool.”
It remains to be seen if Liverpool are prepared to pay as much as £100m for Wharton, given a combination of last summer’s £460m spend and the vast amount of work needed to be done this summer.
Liverpool need to sign forwards, midfielders and defenders this window, so they will need to be very strategic with their spending if they are to avoid overdoing things again.
The Merseysiders have been linked with Alex Scott, a link that has strengthened since Andoni Iraola was appointed as the new manager, but it remains to be seen if this is as an alternative to Wharton, given how expensive the Palace star is.