The future of Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton is becoming one of the most intriguing stories of this transfer window, with Liverpool, Manchester City, and Real Madrid all closely monitoring developments.

At just 21 years old, Wharton has emerged as one of the Premier League’s most exciting young midfielders, sparking heavy speculation about where his career might head next. Following Eberechi Eze’s switch to Arsenal and with Marc Guehi strongly linked to Liverpool, Palace could soon find themselves fighting to hold on to yet another prized asset.

⏳ Deadline Day Tension

According to reports, Palace are bracing themselves for possible last-minute offers before the September 1st deadline. While Liverpool admire the player, current indications suggest that the immediate push may come from Manchester City and Real Madrid rather than Arne Slot’s side.

Pep Guardiola is said to be weighing Wharton as a long-term successor to Kevin De Bruyne, while Xabi Alonso’s Madrid are assessing whether they can afford such a major investment in the final hours of the market.

💰 The Price Tag

Palace’s stance is clear: if anyone wants Wharton this late in the window, they’ll need to pay big. Figures of £100 million have been mentioned, a valuation that reflects both Wharton’s quality and the difficulty of finding a replacement so close to the deadline.

And this isn’t just inflated hype. The midfielder’s creativity and playmaking numbers put him among the very best in Europe’s top leagues:

Expected Assists (xAG): 0.21 per 90 minutes (95th percentile)

Shot-Creating Actions: 3.94 per 90 minutes (92nd percentile)


Stats courtesy of FBref confirm what the eye test already suggests — Wharton is one of the most gifted young playmakers in England.

🔴 What It Means for Liverpool

Although a late move from Liverpool appears unlikely this summer, the Reds will remain firmly in the conversation. Should Palace hold on to Wharton past this window, Slot’s side — along with Madrid and others — will surely revisit the situation in future windows.

For now, the big question remains: will City or Madrid strike before the clock runs out, or will Palace stand firm and keep their star midfielder?

One thing is certain — Adam Wharton’s name isn’t going away anytime soon. 👀