Liverpool see Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton as one of their “top targets” this summer, according to former scout Mick Brown.
The Reds will be eyeing new signings all over the pitch come the end of the season, including a new left-back to be Andy Robertson’s long-term replacement and a top-quality centre forward.
While Liverpool’s midfield isn’t the most pressing position, an extra face wouldn’t go amiss, and Brown has told Football Insider that Wharton is wanted by the new Premier League champions.
“Adam Wharton is a very, very talented player,” Brown said.
“He’s an excellent passer of the ball, he keeps it moving and plays a big role in the middle. Plus, he’s only young and he’s already an England international, so that ticks a lot of boxes. At Liverpool, he wouldn’t be required to sit as deep or break up play as much as he is at Palace.
“Personally, I have concerns that when the game is against them he isn’t always the best and getting his foot in and the game can sometimes pass him by. But their scouts will be aware of that and they’ll know whether they think it’s an issue, because it’s very rare Liverpool are in situations like that.
“So his primary role would be to get on the ball and help them in possession – which he’s very good at. Certain players are suited to certain clubs and certain ways of playing, so the criticisms I have of his game at Palace would be far less of a problem at Liverpool.
“From what I’ve seen and heard, he is going to be one of the top targets in the summer. It won’t be easy to do, because Palace want to keep their best players and build on what they’ve done this season, so it could cost a huge fee for him to move.”
Wharton could be worth £100m for Liverpool
Wharton is an outstanding young player with a big future in the game, playing with such maturity at the heart of Palace’s midfield since arriving from Blackburn Rovers.
The fact that the 21-year-old is valued at £100m by the Eagles highlights how good he is, and he has averaged 1.8 tackles and 1.3 key passes per game in the Premier League this season.
Blessed with a lovely left foot and maturity beyond his years, Wharton could be an excellent squad player from the off for Liverpool, acting as an upgrade on Wataru Endo and providing stern competition for Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister.
