A distinguished Liverpool-focused journalist isn’t ruling out an Anfield swoop for one ‘high stage’ midfielder this month, though it’d require ‘loopy’ cash to drag it off.
David Lynch was talking on the Born N’Purple podcast (by way of Playback) when he talked about the Reds’ long-standing curiosity in Adam Wharton, whose fairytale 2024 has seen him earn a Premier League transfer to Crystal Palace and make the England squad for a serious event.
The reporter said: “Adam Wharton was undoubtedly somebody [LFC] watched at Blackburn, so that they clearly type of favored him round then, the recruitment workers, so I feel that’s fascinating.
Comply with Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE
“The massive drawback there may be clearly what would Palace ask for? They’ve solely simply signed him, he’s simply develop into an England worldwide since then, his inventory has simply gone up and up and up. The charge might be loopy and they’d strike a tough discount, however let’s see.
“I don’t suppose that’s one you possibly can confidently rule out simply on the idea that they’ve favored him prior to now. I’m positive from what they’ve seen at Palace they gained’t have gone off him.
“That’s one possibly to keep watch over however that’s actual tentative stuff to be trustworthy. It’s a participant they’ve favored prior to now so let’s see if something comes of that.”
READ MORE: Liverpool stalwart now considering Anfield exit; Reds would promote for the proper value – report
READ MORE: ‘I consider…’ – Lucas Leiva makes daring Liverpool prediction that Reds followers would like to see
As Lynch identified, Liverpool’s curiosity in Wharton does certainly pre-date his arrival at Palace – the Reds have been credited with curiosity within the midfielder final November when he was nonetheless at Blackburn.
He value the Eagles an preliminary £18m within the winter switch window (BBC Sport), however along with his inventory rising exponentially since then – England teammate Declan Rice dubbed him a ‘high stage’ participant on the eve of Euro 2024 (Sky Sports activities) – the 20-year-old might absolutely command a far increased charge now.
A median of three.33 tackles per 90 minutes over the previous yr locations him within the high 5% of positional friends in Europe’s 5 fundamental leagues in that timeframe, whereas he additionally ranks within the 84th percentile for interceptions per sport with 1.39 (FBref).
These figures recommend that Wharton would supply Liverpool with an uncompromising presence on the base of midfield, and somebody to carry down that place within the long-term at Anfield whereas already being confirmed at a excessive stage.
In reality, we don’t envisage the Reds making a big-money provide for the Palace enforcer this month given how tough it’d inevitably be to steer the Eagles to promote, however he definitely matches the profile of participant who’d be preferrred for the undertaking that Arne Slot is striving to create on Merseyside.
EOTK Shut-up with John Welsh: ‘an area lad who lived his dream’ and Slot’s LFC predictions
