England midfielder is coming to Liverpool in club record deal | OneFootball

Liverpool’s season is fizzling out.

Much was expected from the 2025/26 campaign - especially after winning the Premier League title last season. But the Reds haven’t been good enough - slumping to embarrassing exits from the Champions League as well as the two domestic cup competitions.

The Anfield side are struggling to re-qualify for the Champions League via their league position and need to be fully focused for the rest of their top-flight campaign.

Then it will be time to consider a shakeup of the squad - with several players reportedly at risk of being sold. Two midfielders - Curtis Jones and Alexis Mac Allister - could be making way as Richard Hughes and Arne Slot plan upgrades.

And now one name is emerging above all others for a summer arrival.

Liverpool identify Adam Wharton as ideal arrival

Adam Wharton, 22, has been at Crystal Palace since February 2024. He forced his way into Gareth Southgate’s plans for England’s Euro 2024 campaign and has gone from strength to strength for the Selhurst Park side.

Wharton - a former Blackburn Rovers player - is understood to be willing to move back to the North West according to a report in TEAMtalk. The same report also claims that Liverpool have carried out significant background checks on the midfielder.

And now it looks like Wharton fits the bill to lead a midfield summer rebuild - with Palace holding out for a club record fee for the Three Lions’ international.

£70m Wharton ticks all Liverpool's boxes

A fee of £70m would eclipse what Arsenal paid for Eberechi Eze last summer - a necessary requirement with midfield in need of major investment at Anfield.

“The club’s recruitment team view Wharton as a player capable of dictating tempo, progressing play under pressure and anchoring their midfield for years to come,” the report reads.

£450m worth of spending hasn’t paid off this season at Anfield - with the champions regressing significantly.

Some of the blame can be apportioned to an underperforming midfield sector - but it looks like the first steps are being taken to fix those problems with the recruitment of Adam Wharton.