Liverpool are looking to accelerate their pursuit of Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton. The Merseyside club's interest has grown stronger following an agreement to sell Curtis Jones to Inter for €35m.
The 22-year-old's candidacy has been approved by boss Andoni Iraola, who sees Wharton as a crucial addition to serve as a defensive midfielder. This would allow Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai to push further forward into attacking roles.
However, negotiating with Crystal Palace won't be straightforward. The London club values Wharton at around £78m and has no pressing need to sell the player, whose contract still has three years to run.
Wharton’s ability to operate off the ball and initiate attacks with incisive passes from deep has caught Liverpool's eye. They've been tracking him for some time, but face stiff competition, with Manchester United, Chelsea, and Real Madrid also believed to be interested in the midfielder.
The departure of Jones reduces Iraola's options in the centre of the park, meaning signing a new midfielder could become one of Liverpool's top priorities as the transfer window draws to a close.
