Adam Wharton: Manchester City and Liverpool Target Amid Palace's Dilemma

Manchester City and Liverpool are circling Adam Wharton, and Crystal Palace know exactly what that means: the meter is running.

City have already thrown down one statement in this window, paying £116 million ($158m) for Elliot Anderson. Losing Rodri to Barcelona has only sharpened their need for a long-term midfield anchor, and Wharton, 22, has forced his way onto their recruitment radar with the kind of rise you simply cannot ignore.

Across two-and-a-half seasons at Selhurst Park, Wharton has gone from promising youngster to serial winner in Palace colours, helping the club lift the FA Cup, Community Shield and Europa Conference League. That run has transformed his status, his confidence and, crucially, his price.

Liverpool lurking, City watching

City’s interest is real, but Liverpool are never far from the conversation. The Reds have tracked Wharton’s development and, if a full-scale auction breaks out for one of the most coveted young midfielders in England, they are expected to be in the thick of it.

Ray Houghton, who knows both Anfield and Selhurst Park midfields from his playing days, understands exactly why Liverpool fans are so keen on the all-action Palace man. Speaking exclusively to GOAL via Football Betting, he 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. 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.”

That endorsement matters. Molby’s eye for midfield craft is widely respected, and Houghton has done his own homework.

“I spoke to Adam, actually, when they [Palace] beat Liverpool last season,” Houghton 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.”

Palace’s dilemma

Those ingredients have created a problem for Palace. They bought Wharton from Blackburn for just £18m ($25m). That already looks like one of the bargains of recent years. Now, with Europe’s elite watching, the expectation inside the game is that Palace will demand at least four times that to even consider a sale, with the total package potentially nudging towards nine figures.

The London club are walking a tightrope. Houghton warned that constant turnover comes at a cost.

“At the minute, the only worry with Palace is they can't keep selling players. [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.”

That is the tension: cash in again, or hold their nerve and keep the core together?

Former Palace striker Clinton Morrison spelt out the numbers GOAL previously.

“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.

“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.

“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.”

Temptation at the top

For Wharton, the equation is brutally simple if a giant comes calling. Houghton did not dress it up.

“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. 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.”

City’s need is immediate after Rodri’s departure. Liverpool’s rebuild is ongoing. Palace, meanwhile, have a midfield jewel whose value climbs with every composed performance.

At some point, someone will test just how hard Crystal Palace are prepared to grip Adam Wharton.