Adam Wharton is expected to leave Crystal Palace at the end of the season and a well-connected source has revealed Liverpool as having registered their interest.
Wharton is nearing the end of his second full season at Selhurst Park but the England midfielder is already gearing up for a summer transfer.
It comes with Liverpool and Man United both interested in a move that could cost at least £80 million for the 22-year-old.
talkSPORT‘s Alex Crook, who has strong connections to sporting director Richard Hughes, reports on Liverpool’s enquiries over Wharton and his chances of a move to Anfield.
Liverpool are “exploring their midfield options,” Crook writes, which aligns with a report from the Mail‘s Simon Jones earlier this week over “putting feelers out in the market.”
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, April 14, 2026: Liverpool's Curtis Jones reacts during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 2nd Leg match between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
That comes with Curtis Jones entering the final year of his contract and attracting credible interest from Inter Milan, and question marks over Alexis Mac Allister.
Wataru Endo will also have 12 months remaining on his deal as of this summer and teenager Trey Nyoni has already been tipped for a loan move.
Crystal Palace are however “determined to keep hold of their prized possession beyond the summer,” which will inform their valuation of Wharton.
Instead, the player himself may push for a switch, with Palace likely to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League in a season in which they are hoping to lift the Europa Conference League.
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)
Wharton’s future could mirror that of England team-mate Declan Rice, who left West Ham for Arsenal in a £105 million switch in 2023 after clinching Europe’s third-tier trophy in his final season in east London.
It hasn’t, however, been as dominant a season for Wharton, whose form has been less consistent in a struggling Palace side despite a number of standout performances.
He has started 39 of his 44 appearances so far this campaign, registering seven assists including setting up two goals in 3-1 win away to Tottenham last month.
If Liverpool were to push ahead with a deal they will be convinced his talents are scaleable and that he can provide the attributes that are so lacking in Arne Slot‘s midfield.
LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 27, 2025: Liverpool's Florian Wirtz is challenged by Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton during the FA Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Liverpool FC at Selhurst Park. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Crucially, Wharton is comfortable operating as a No. 6, providing defensive stability while offering the line-breaking technical quality required at an elite-level club.
He has shown that with both Palace and England, and with Ryan Gravenberch‘s influence waning in a confused role this season it can be argued that a new deep-lying midfielder is a priority this summer.
Any move for Wharton would be complicated by a sell-on clause negotiated in his move from Blackburn in 2024, which entitles the Championship club to 15 percent of any fee above £22 million.