Real Madrid offered €120m Liverpool target in staggering deal – report | OneFootball

Real Madrid could scupper the plans of Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea by signing Adam Wharton for returning manager Jose Mourinho, a report has claimed.

Real Madrid have already improved their defence with the captures of Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries and Marc Cucurella, and Mourinho has identified central midfield as the next key area that needs strengthening if Los Blancos are to win more Champions League and LaLiga titles.

Bernardo Silva has already moved to the Bernabeu on a free transfer from Manchester City, but Madrid need more midfield signings as Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni are both potential candidates to leave.

Camavinga and Wharton are two rumoured options on Liverpool’s midfield shortlist, and Spanish source Defensa Central has made a new claim about the latter.

They report that Palace have ‘made a move’ to ‘offer’ Wharton to Madrid for a ‘staggering’ €120m (£102.5m).

Madrid are supposedly still weighing up whether to act on their interest in the Englishman, as they value him at closer to €70m (£60m). As such, any proposal Madrid make for Wharton would likely fall well below Palace’s dream €120m sum.

The report claims that Wharton is a target for Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City, who have all been ‘monitoring him for months’. Man Utd and Tottenham Hotspur, meanwhile, could soon ‘join that list’ of potential suitors.

However, it would be a big surprise if Tottenham made a move for the 22-year-old, as they have spent a combined £185m on Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali.

Liverpool and United are both admirers of Wharton, but there are conflicting reports over whether he is actually a concrete target for the two English giants.

Football Insider claimed on Saturday that Andoni Iraola has called off Liverpool’s pursuit of Wharton. As a result, Palace are said to be ‘growing increasingly confident’ about keeping him.

Liverpool, Man Utd unlikely to move for Wharton

United decided earlier this summer that Wharton is too similar to Kobbie Mainoo, which has seen them prioritise other targets such as Alex Scott, Tchouameni, Andrey Santos and Felix Nmecha.

For Madrid, Wharton is one of several midfield options they are considering. Mourinho wants club president Florentino Perez to make a blockbuster move for Chelsea talisman Enzo Fernandez.

The Argentine has been open about his desire to move to the Spanish capital, though he will cost a huge £120m (€140m).

Alexis Mac Allister and Rodri are also being tracked by the Spanish titans. Rodri, though, will be easier to snare next summer, when his City contract expires.