thisisanfield.com

Liverpool’s Adam Wharton stance explained – Reds remain interested

LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 27, 2025: Crystal Palace's Adam c during the FA Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Liverpool FC at Selhurst Park. Crystal Palace won 2-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Reports on Thursday suggest Adam Wharton will not be on the move this summer, but Liverpool do remain interested in the Crystal Palace midfielder.

Fresh reports via David Ornstein of The Athletic and other sources claim Palace have already knocked back late talks with Manchester City, and are resolute on not parting with a player they value in the region of £100 million.

However, Liverpool retain an interest in the midfielder heading into the final days of the transfer window, and would make a play for the 22-year-old should the Eagles soften their stance on his valuation and potential sale, This Is Anfield understands.

Liverpool have Wharton on a list of midfield candidates who have been monitored for several seasons, though the three remaining years on the player’s current contract is seen as a stumbling block at present.

England's Adam Wharton during an international friendly at St. James' Park, Newcastle. Picture date: Monday June 3, 2024. (Mike Egerton/PA)

Wharton’s deal at Selhurst Park, in the region of £50,000-per-week, expires in the summer of 2029. Palace are aware of the growing attention from Premier League rivals in the player, who they signed from Blackburn Rovers for £18 million in 2024.

The south London club are steadfast in extracting maximum value for Wharton, who Liverpool and others value below Palace’s current inflated estimates.

Palace will likely point to the recent transfer of Elliot Anderson, just a year older than Wharton, for £116 million, as a barometer.

Anderson, though, is a starter for England, whereas Wharton was not in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad.

Harvey Elliott could depart Liverpool

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 8, 2026: Liverpool's Harvey Elliott applauds the supporters after a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

This Is Anfield also understands that Liverpool conducted early pre-season planning around the midfield and examined the potential logistics of Harvey Elliott departing for Crystal Palace.

Momentum on that front has not since materialised, and there have been no evident signs from Palace regarding a strong interest in the Liverpool playmaker.

Elliott, 23, has since been working under Andoni Iraola, though has so far failed to really make a mark in pre-season and stake claim for a second chance in the Liverpool XI, following his doomed loan spell at Aston Villa.

It is understood the youngster has been told he can depart Anfield permanently, if a suitor is found, with one year to go on his current deal.

Liverpool’s thin midfield depth

NASHVILLE, USA - Saturday, July 25, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates with team-mate Trey Nyoni (L) after scoring the second and equalising goal during a friendly match between Liverpool FC and AFC Sunderland at the Nashville SC Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool therefore find themselves in a position whereby arguably midfield reinforcements are required following Curtis Jones‘ imminent move to Inter Milan.

The local lad is set to depart for the San Siro in a deal worth over £30 million, after long and protracted interest from the Italian side.

Iraola is equipped with Liverpool’s customary midfield trio of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch for the coming campaign, while teenager Trey Nyoni is set to be handed increased first team minutes after grabbing his chance and impressing hugely in pre-season.

Stefan Bajcetic remains on the long and uncertain journey back to full fitness, and while fellow prospect James McConnell could now remain, bringing in a midfielder would allow the youngster to depart on loan to Preston.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 8, 2026: Liverpool's James McConnell during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and AS Monaco FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The experienced Wataru Endo is on hand for additional personnel, but there is no getting away from the fact that Liverpool’s midfield options look thin, particularly for a team competing on multiple fronts under a new manager who is famed for his intensive, relentless pace of football.

While it isn’t lost on anyone that Liverpool’s need for a more conventional No.6 player is high, the club have continually sworn by a policy of bringing in their long-term monitored targets wherever possible, if the opportunity presents.

Wharton a long-term target

Wharton remains a player who falls into this category, and his transfer status comes at an interesting time in Premier League buying and selling.

This summer both Manchester United and Tottenham have spent big on midfield acquisitions; Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans for the former, while Spurs splurged hugely on Sandro Tonali and Matheus Fernandes.

Arsenal have added Bruno Guimaraes to their already stocked midfield, while Chelsea acquired Morgan Rodgers and drafted in Argentine prospect Valentin Barco, along with the surprise signing of former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson.

LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 10, 2025: Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton celebrates with the trophy after the FA Community Shield match between Crystal Palace FC and Liverpool FC at Wembley Stadium. Palace won 3-1 on penalties after a 2-2 draw. (Photo by Harry Murphy/Propaganda)

The picture therefore becomes clearer, placing Liverpool as clear candidates for talking on Wharton and providing the former Blackburn man with a potential stage to make a claim for world class status.

City’s reported interest is unlikely to dissipate, given new boss Enzo Maresca has already publicly stated the club’s need for more midfield options, particularly after the sanctioned sale of Rodri.

The dominoes are now in place for City to pick up teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille, who will command a hefty fee given his meteoric breakthrough at the recent World Cup.

The conditions for a mass Wharton bidding war are right now lacking, which is therefore in-keeping with Palace’s renewed stance that the player isn’t for sale.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Thursday, August 13, 2026: Manchester City's Elliot Anderson during an open training session at the Etihad Campus ahead of the start of the FA Premier League season. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The Eagles will hope that their top asset will go on to have another exceptional season but this time under a brand new manager, Frenchman Pierre Sage who was drafted in to replace Oliver Glasner.

Should this not work out, though, Palace face a considerable drop off in Wharton’s value 12 months from now, with then just two seasons remaining on his deal. It goes without saying that both Liverpool and City remain acutely aware of this fact.

The player himself has remained expectedly silent on his future, preparing from the new season with Palace like a model professional. B

eing overlooked for the summer World Cup despite a full season at the heart of the Eagles midfield would however have left a considerable sting.

A post shared by Adam Wharton (@adamwharton10)

Just this week Wharton engaged in promotional activity for online auction giants eBay, plugging a live football memorabilia sale, with his self-confessed title as a big football merch collector.

On his social media channels on Tuesday, the 22-year-old made a public show of revealing his prized purchase after entering one of the auctions himself – it happened to be a 2004/05 Liverpool home shirt, from the Istanbul season, signed by Steven Gerrard.

Sometimes the omens can’t help but be present. Liverpool’s interest in the midfielder remains real and his transfer status is very much one to watch.

Read full news in source page