Adam Wharton: Manchester City and Liverpool Eye Young Midfielder
Manchester City and Liverpool are circling Adam Wharton – and Crystal Palace know exactly what they’ve got on their hands.
City have already thrown down one huge midfield marker this window, spending £116 million ($158m) on Elliot Anderson. Yet with Ballon d’Or and World Cup winner Rodri gone to Barcelona and a gaping hole in the heart of their side, the champions are still shopping. Wharton, 22, is firmly on their radar.
He has earned that attention the hard way. Since arriving from Blackburn for just £18m ($25m), Wharton’s rise at Selhurst Park has been sharp and relentless. Two-and-a-half seasons have brought FA Cup, Community Shield and Conference League triumphs, and with each step his reputation has swollen. Now he is not just a Palace gem; he is a Three Lions midfielder whose name sits on the desks of Europe’s elite.
City are not alone. Liverpool’s interest refuses to go away. The Reds have tracked his development and, if the market erupts into a full-blown auction, they are expected to be in the thick of it for one of the most coveted young midfielders in the league.
Ray Houghton understands why. The former Liverpool and Palace midfielder, a two-time First Division champion at Anfield, believes Wharton has the mentality and talent to thrive on Merseyside. Speaking exclusively to GOAL courtesy of Football Betting, Houghton leaned heavily on the judgment of another Liverpool great.
“I listen to people who I've played with and who've got a good eye for midfielders. I know Jan Molby, he's a big fan of Adam,” Houghton said. “He spoke about him highly on numerous occasions and I trust Jan's judgment. He knows the game, he knows the position. He feels that there's a real player in there that can do well.”
Houghton’s endorsement is not built only on reputation. It is also personal.
“I spoke to Adam, actually, when they [Palace] beat Liverpool last season,” he recalled. “I was at the game and after the match I was talking to Mark Bright and Adam came out. He’s a really down-to-earth lad, really, really lovely kid. It was a joy to speak to him and just listen to him and he just wants to be the best that he can.
“He's got a great attitude. If anyone was to ask me, what do you think of Adam Wharton, I'd say great attitude. He wants to be successful. He's got all the ingredients there for being a top player.”
That is precisely why Palace face such a delicate balancing act. They have already cashed in on Marc Guehi and seen Maxence Lacroix depart, and Houghton warned of the risks of turning Selhurst Park into a conveyor belt.
“At the minute, the only worry with Palace is they can't keep selling players,” he said. “[Marc] Guehi went and now [Maxence] Lacroix's gone and they're moving players around. To have any modicum of success, you can't keep doing that. You look at what they've won, three trophies they've been involved in. One thing you don't want to do is keep changing players.”
Yet the reality is brutal. When a club like Liverpool, or a serial title-winner like City, comes calling, the pull is immense.
“If a club like Liverpool comes knocking for you, you're going to be tempted, aren't you? Simple as that if you're Adam Wharton,” Houghton admitted. “It's just whether he's the right fit for the manager and that's what it'll come down to. At the moment, I still think Liverpool need a few additions before they really get going.”
Palace will not sell cheaply. They paid £18m and expect at least four times that if they are to sanction a move. With performance-related add-ons, a full package could stretch towards – and even beyond – nine figures for a player they plucked from the Championship.
Former Palace striker Clinton Morrison has already laid down his valuation to GOAL, and it was bullish.
“Yeah, £60m, £70m - if someone wants to pay £80m, I think they’d bite your hand off. But yeah, definitely at least £60-70 million,” he said. “If you look at how young he is and the talent he’s got, and the clubs that will be knocking on the door for him, then Palace are right to say £60-70 million. It’s good money for another player they’ve developed. He’s a top player.
“But yeah, he’s got all the attributes and there will come a time where he needs to go to one of the top four or five teams, or maybe go and play in Europe, because you need to keep improving yourself as a player.”
So the stage is set. City need a new midfield anchor. Liverpool still crave extra quality before they “really get going”. Palace are determined not to be stripped bare, but know the market and the numbers.
The only real unknown now is how long they can keep saying no.
