Liverpool eye Adam Wharton as Curtis Jones nears Inter exit
Liverpool are preparing for the likely departure of Curtis Jones and have identified Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton as a potential replacement.
Jones is closing in on a move to Inter Milan, leaving Andoni Iraola with a key decision before the transfer window shuts: whether to strengthen the midfield now or trust existing depth.
Wharton emerges as preferred option
Sources close to the agency industry say Liverpool are ready to accelerate their interest in the 22-year-old England international. Iraola is understood to have approved the idea. Wharton’s ability to control games from deeper positions could free Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai to play higher up the pitch.
Crystal Palace value Wharton at around £78m, with some reports suggesting the figure could rise towards £100m given his importance and long-term potential. Palace have so far shown little willingness to sell, and a significant recent update from talkSPORT indicates Wharton himself expects to remain at Selhurst Park this season despite the interest.
England teammate Declan Rice has publicly praised Wharton as an “outstanding” midfielder, underlining the quality Liverpool would be pursuing.
Smart target — but risky timing
Stylistically, Wharton looks an excellent fit. He is composed under pressure, progressive in possession, and comfortable receiving the ball from centre-backs — traits that suit the controlling midfield role Iraola may want.
However, Liverpool should be wary of overpaying simply because Jones is leaving. Spending potentially three times Jones’s reported fee on a replacement would represent a major financial commitment at a point when Palace hold all the leverage. They do not need to sell, and the player appears content to stay.
Verdict
Wharton remains a logical long-term target for Liverpool. But unless Palace soften their valuation significantly in the coming days, this looks like a deal better revisited next summer rather than forced through as a deadline-day gamble. Trusting the current midfield options may prove the more measured course.
