Anfield could soon see a gap appear in their engine room as Curtis Jones prepares to move to Inter Milan, with Phil Thompson already identifying his preferred replacement.
Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton(Photo: Michael Zemanek/Shutterstock)
The Merseyside club may require additional midfield options before the transfer period ends, and former Liverpool skipper Phil Thompson has identified exactly who he would target.
The club finds itself undergoing another reshuffle after Arne Slot’s tenure concluded at the end of the previous campaign and Andoni Iraola, previously in charge at Bournemouth, took over.
Since then, Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate have all left when their contracts expired, and it appears they will be followed by midfielder Curtis Jones, who has reached an agreement to move to Italian champions Inter in Serie A.
This exit creates a gap that needs addressing, and Kop legend Thompson already has Crystal Palace talent Adam Wharton in his sights.
During a discussion on the BOYLE Sports and Footy Accumulators podcast titled No Tippy Tappy Football, Thompson stated that Wharton is a player he would want Liverpool to pursue. He expressed confusion over why nobody had secured the player’s signature during this transfer activity.
He noted Wharton possesses good character, which he considers important alongside ability when building a squad. Thompson added that he has always viewed Wharton as having the right attributes.
He suggested Wharton would likely be the next Palace player the club would need to offload for a significant fee, as they tend to sell one key player annually for substantial money.
The club has previously been connected with a potential move for the 22-year-old Wharton, but regardless of whether there is genuine interest, a transfer appears unlikely.
According to The Athletic reporter David Ornstein, Manchester City’s own approach for the England international was rejected, with Palace maintaining Wharton will not be sold this summer.
At present, 19-year-old Trey Nyoni appears poised to take on greater responsibility within Andoni’s squad this term, unless the Spanish coach makes an unexpected midfield signing before deadline day.
Teenager Nyoni showed promise during pre-season and seems prepared to challenge for more consistent first-team involvement under Andoni in the upcoming season.
The club begin their Premier League campaign with a visit to St James’ Park to play Newcastle United on Sunday, with kickoff scheduled for 4.30pm.