Still looking to add to their midfield, Liverpool are now reportedly keeping tabs on the progress of one transfer target who Michael Edwards could steal in to hijack ahead of Bayern Munich.
Liverpool transfer news
Whilst the Reds sit top of the Premier League even without a summer full of investment, they’ll be well aware of how unsustainable their position at the top is without the added depth they could welcome in 2025.
Of course, it wasn’t for the want of trying that a midfielder failed to complete a move to Anfield in the summer, with Martin Zubimendi simply changing his mind and rejecting Liverpool, but that’s not to say alternatives weren’t available.
Liverpool battling Man Utd to sign "flamboyant" gem compared to Di Maria
He’s one for the future…
ByTom CunninghamOct 2, 2024
Their summer failure has at least made the 2025 task clear as day, however. A defensive midfielder to compete or sit alongside the recently-emerged Ryan Gravenberch must be the priority, even if the Reds find themselves flying under new boss Arne Slot.
With that said, those at Anfield have reportedly turned their attention towards a man in demand. According to The Boot Room, Edwards is now keeping tabs on Adam Wharton ahead of a potential move that would see Liverpool hijack a deal and jump ahead of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich as well as Premier League rivals Manchester United.
Wharton impressed against Liverpool last season, as Crystal Palace shocked the Reds to secure a rare Anfield victory. Since then, he has gone on to make his England debut and steal further headlines, before struggling alongside the rest of Oliver Glasner’s side in an early period to forget in the current campaign.
If the former Blackburn Rovers man swiftly returns to his best though, then there’s no doubt that the rumours over his Selhurst Park future will continue to arrive, with FSG, Edwards and Richard Hughes now firmly in the race.
"Incredible" Wharton could complete Liverpool midfield
At just 20 years old, Wharton’s first struggle for form was always going to arrive at one stage, but once he reaches the other side of his current blip, big things could once again await. He more than proved himself in his Anfield audition last season, winning eight out of 10 duels and making six tackles in a dominant display in the middle of the park. Now, as Liverpool look to add to their midfield, Wharton could emerge to become Slot’s missing piece.
Unsurprisingly, the Palace star has earned plenty of praise during his time at Selhurst Park, including from teammate Eberechi Eze, who said via BBC Sport: “Playing with him at Palace, I’ve got used to seeing the way he plays and understanding him. He’s very calm, composed, and a joy to play with.
“For someone so young, he’s very mature and very wise. When you speak to him, it feels like you’re speaking to someone older than you, that’s the type of person he is. He’s an incredible player.”
Alas, amid such impressive interest, those in South London may need to appreciate their midfielder whilst they still can, with Anfield potentially awaiting Wharton in 2025 despite Palace’s valuation of £100m.