Adam Wharton: Premier League's Rising Star in Demand
Manchester City and Liverpool are circling Adam Wharton – and the numbers already sound like elite company.
City, fresh from dropping £116 million on Elliot Anderson in the last window, are understood to have the 22-year-old Crystal Palace midfielder high on their recruitment list. Rodri’s blockbuster move to Barcelona has left a gaping hole at the heart of Pep Guardiola’s side, and Wharton’s name keeps surfacing as a potential heir to that role.
He has earned it.
Across two-and-a-half seasons at Selhurst Park, Wharton has gone from promising pick-up to full England international, collecting FA Cup, Community Shield and Conference League winners’ medals along the way. His rise has been sharp, his reputation sharper.
And whenever a young, all-action English midfielder shines, one storyline never goes away: Liverpool.
The Reds have been tracking Wharton’s development and are expected to be in the conversation if Palace’s resolve is properly tested. If this turns into an auction, Liverpool are unlikely to stand on the sidelines.
Ray Houghton, who knows both Anfield and Selhurst Park from the inside, understands exactly why Wharton is attracting that level of attention. Speaking exclusively to GOAL via Football Betting, the former Republic of Ireland international leaned heavily on the judgement of another Liverpool great.
“I listen to people who I've played with and who've got a good eye for midfielders. I know Jan Molby, he's a big fan of Adam,” Houghton said. “He spoke about him highly on numerous occasions and I trust Jan's judgment. He knows the game, he knows the position. He feels that there's a real player in there that can do well.”
This isn’t just second-hand admiration, either. Houghton has met Wharton and came away impressed by more than his passing range.
“I spoke to Adam, actually, when they [Palace] beat Liverpool last season,” he recalled. “I was at the game and after the match I was talking to Mark Bright and Adam came out. He’s a really down-to-earth lad, really, really lovely kid. It was a joy to speak to him and just listen to him and he just wants to be the best that he can.
“He's got a great attitude. If anyone was to ask me, what do you think of Adam Wharton, I'd say great attitude. He wants to be successful. He's got all the ingredients there for being a top player.”
That is precisely what worries Palace.
They plucked Wharton from Blackburn Rovers for just £18m and have watched his value rocket. At the same time, key pieces have already gone. Marc Guehi has departed. Maxence Lacroix has followed. For a club trying to turn cup success into something more sustained, there is a limit to how often you can cash in.
“At the minute, the only worry with Palace is they can't keep selling players,” Houghton warned. “[Marc] Guehi went and now [Maxence] Lacroix's gone and they're moving players around. To have any modicum of success, you can't keep doing that. You look at what they've won, three trophies they've been involved in. One thing you don't want to do is keep changing players.”
The financial reality is stark. Palace expect at least four times their original outlay if they sanction a sale. Any full package for Wharton is projected to drive towards, and potentially beyond, the £100m mark.
Former Eagles striker Clinton Morrison has already nailed down his own ballpark figure.
“Yeah, £60m, £70m - if someone wants to pay £80m, I think they’d bite your hand off. But yeah, definitely at least £60-70 million,” he told GOAL. “If you look at how young he is and the talent he’s got, and the clubs that will be knocking on the door for him, then Palace are right to say £60-70 million. It’s good money for another player they’ve developed. He’s a top player.”
The sense is clear: Wharton has outgrown the “one for the future” tag. He is already operating at a level that tempts the game’s biggest institutions.
“But yeah, he’s got all the attributes and there will come a time where he needs to go to one of the top four or five teams, or maybe go and play in Europe, because you need to keep improving yourself as a player,” Morrison added.
For Liverpool, the equation is slightly different. Their midfield rebuild remains a work in progress and Houghton believes there is still business to be done before they truly ignite.
“If a club like Liverpool comes knocking for you, you're going to be tempted, aren't you? Simple as that if you're Adam Wharton,” he said. “It's just whether he's the right fit for the manager and that's what it'll come down to. At the moment, I still think Liverpool need a few additions before they really get going.”
So the stage is set.
City searching for a new anchor after Rodri. Liverpool weighing up another major midfield piece. Palace trying to hold their project together while Europe’s elite eye their prize asset.
At some point, someone will test that £60-70m starting price. The only real question is whether Wharton’s next step keeps him in England’s North West – and which shade of blue or red he chooses if the door finally opens.
