Liverpool have already registered their interest in Adam Wharton – and Anfield will now get an opportunity to see him in action on Saturday for Crystal Palace.
Last week, talkSPORT‘s Alex Crook claimed that Liverpool had enquired over a summer transfer for Palace midfielder Wharton.
That came a day after the 22-year-old was forced off with an injury concern in a 2-1 defeat to Fiorentina as Palace earned a 4-2 aggregate victory and a place in the UEFA Conference League semi-finals.
Wharton then missed the 0-0 draw with West Ham on Monday night, but speaking after that game, manager Oliver Glasner confirmed he is expected to be fit for Saturday’s clash with Liverpool.
“He should be back. It was mostly a precaution more or less, [he showed] a little bit of clinical symptoms,” he told Palace TV.
“I expect him back on Thursday in training when we start to prepare for the Liverpool game and he should be available.”
It remains to be seen if Wharton will be cleared to start at Anfield, but it is a boost for Palace nonetheless as he is one of their most important players.
For Liverpool, it will be an immediate blow given his availability for their opponents, but also another opportunity to see a summer target up close.
Why Liverpool want to sign £80m Adam Wharton
Wharton has started 39 of his 44 games this season, with seven assists to his name, and despite operating in a deep-lying role is in the top seven percent midfielders for big chances created (0.45 per 90).
Per FotMob, Wharton also ranks highly in terms of recoveries (5.52 per 90) and possession won in the final third (0.57 per 90).
His contract runs to 2029 and Palace value him at upwards of £80 million, with 15 percent of any fee above £22 million going to former club Blackburn.
Palace know they will be without Eddie Nketiah, Evann Guessand and Cheick Doucoure on Saturday – the latter of whom has struggled for fitness ever since rupturing his Achilles in November 2023.
Doucoure has managed 515 minutes of first-team football in the two-and-a-half years since suffering the same injury as Hugo Ekitike, with his only appearances this season coming for Palace U21s – three starts amounting to 178 minutes.
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