Report: Liverpool warned off Wharton as Crystal Palace set to hold firm on midfield star | OneFootball

Liverpool face setback in Wharton pursuit as Slot looks to future

Wharton off limits for January window

Liverpool’s hopes of landing Adam Wharton in January appear slim, with Crystal Palace determined to hold onto their midfielder. According to TeamTalk, the Eagles have no intention of sanctioning a sale mid-season, even if an offer as high as £60 million were to arrive.

Photo: IMAGO

Transfer journalist Pete O’Rourke explained: “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.”

Liverpool were already frustrated in their summer attempts to prise Marc Guehi away from Selhurst Park, with Palace refusing to budge. The situation underlines once again the difficulty of negotiating with the South London club.

Photo IMAGO

Slot and Hughes plan for long-term rebuild

Despite spending £440 million on 19 incoming and outgoing deals during the summer, Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes remain intent on reshaping the squad. Their focus extends to 2026, when at least four signings are being targeted, including midfield reinforcement and eventual successors for both Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

Photo: IMAGO

Wharton, capped once by England, has impressed with his composed performances in Oliver Glasner’s side and is viewed as an ideal long-term addition. However, Liverpool are pragmatic about the situation and prepared to wait until the summer or beyond.

Alternative options considered

Liverpool are also monitoring Carlos Baleba of Brighton, though his price tag could exceed £100 million. At present, Wharton is regarded as the more realistic target, provided Palace soften their stance in future.

Photo: IMAGO

O’Rourke added: “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.”

The Reds have money available for new recruits but accept that winter deals are often poor value. Patience is the strategy, with key names circled for 2026 rather than rushed moves in January.

Defensive plans linked to Palace

Alongside midfield additions, Liverpool continue to keep an eye on Marc Guehi. The defender’s situation remains fluid, with the possibility of revisiting a deal in January, though there is also interest in waiting until the summer when the financial structure may be more favourable.

Photo: IMAGO

The sense within Liverpool is that the coming seasons will demand gradual but significant change. Slot’s second summer has been transformative, but more reinforcements are expected as the club look beyond immediate results and towards reshaping their squad for the next era.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

The club’s willingness to spend big in the summer gave hope that, when the right players were identified, they would act decisively. Instead, once again, Crystal Palace have proved almost impossible to deal with.

Fans will remember the collapse of the Marc Guehi deal on deadline day, and now the club’s pursuit of Wharton seems destined to drag on. While it is understandable that Palace want to keep hold of their best talents, there is frustration that Liverpool appear unable to push these negotiations over the line. For supporters, it sparks memories of missed opportunities in previous windows when hesitation or over-caution left the squad short.

The argument that Liverpool can afford to wait until 2026 might make sense on paper, but football moves quickly. Wharton is already being linked with other top Premier League clubs, and if Liverpool do not act sooner, they risk losing out altogether. Patience is one thing, but rivals like Manchester City and Chelsea have shown a willingness to strike while the iron is hot.

For a fanbase desperate to see Slot backed after a strong start, the idea of standing still until 2026 is a hard one to swallow. Supporters want ambition reflected not just in long-term planning but in decisive action when the right opportunity arises.