Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Crystal Palace’s young midfielder Adam Wharton in the January transfer window, but sources suggest the move is unlikely to happen.
According to Football Insider, Palace see Wharton as a key part of Oliver Glasner’s plans.
With Wharton under contract until 2029, the south London club are being very reluctant to sell in the mid-season window. The message is clear, Liverpool will have to wait.
Wharton is tied to a contract that runs until 2029. This not only gives Palace control over his future but also drives up the price. As reported, releasing him in January would require a “huge fee.” It’s an asset they don’t want to lose cheaply.
Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton is high in demand
Wharton isn’t just on Liverpool’s radar, there are reports that several other Premier League and European clubs are interested. That demand increases his value, but also gives Palace less leverage to entertain lower offers.
However, Pete O’Rourke has confirmed that Palace have no plans of selling the midfielder in January.
He said:
“It’ll be highly unlikely that Palace would entertain any offers for Wharton in January.
“He’s a top player, so if he does become available it won’t just be Liverpool in the market for him, it’ll be most of the big clubs in the Premier League and top European clubs.
“He’s under a long-term contract at Palace until 2029, and it would take a huge fee to prise him away.
“We know how difficult Palace are to deal with, Liverpool found that out when they tried to sign Marc Guehi before Palace pulled the plug on that deal.
“They don’t want to lose Wharton, especially not in January because he would be a very difficult player for them to replace, so they’ll be doing everything they can to keep hold of him.
“We know January is a difficult window to do big deals as well, so I don’t see anything happening in January.”
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Adam Wharton in action for Crystal Palace (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
If Wharton is unavailable in January, Liverpool will need to explore other midfield targets or lean more heavily on current options.
Waiting until the summer might be more feasible, especially if Palace hold firm. But that could bring competition from other suitors, given Wharton’s rising profile, they might be forced into a bidding war.
For Liverpool, patience may be required. They might have to wait until the summer to make a serious move if they are to land Wharton.
Palace stopped the Reds from signing Marc Guehi in the summer transfer window and it appears like they are ready to do the same for another of their key player.
Meanwhile, Palace’s stance reinforces their ambition to build, retain talent, and compete, signs that they aren’t content to be a stepping stone for their stars.
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