Liverpool's Bold Move for Adam Wharton: Elliott's Future at Stake

Liverpool are weighing up a bold move for Adam Wharton that could drag Harvey Elliott into the middle of one of the summer’s most intriguing Premier League transfer subplots.

With Mohamed Salah gone, the brief from Fenway Sports Group is clear: a top winger is the headline act. But behind that, there is a quieter, calculated push to reshape the midfield, and Wharton has emerged as a key name on Liverpool’s boardroom whiteboard.

Liverpool’s Wharton plan takes shape

Liverpool’s interest in the Crystal Palace midfielder is nothing new. They have tracked Wharton for months, impressed by his rise to England international status and his composure at the heart of Palace’s side.

Now, according to journalist Danny Gallagher, the Anfield club are actively exploring a deal that would send Elliott to Selhurst Park as part of a swap for Wharton. It is not just an idea on a scouting report; Liverpool are said to be “looking into the logistics” of the move.

Gallagher reported on X at 1:06pm on July 5 that Liverpool are examining a scenario in which Elliott heads to Palace as part of an agreement for Wharton, even though new Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola still wants to assess whether letting Elliott go is necessary. If everyone signs off, the move could accelerate quickly.

Elliott’s situation adds another layer. He spent the 2025/26 season on loan at Aston Villa after Arne Slot, then in charge at Anfield, decided he was surplus to requirements for the campaign. The loan included an obligatory buy clause, but crucially, the winger did not hit the triggers needed for that clause to kick in. He returned to Liverpool with his future unclear.

Iraola, just through the door, has not made a final call on the 23-year-old. He wants a closer look. Yet the possibility of using Elliott as a makeweight to land Wharton is firmly on the table.

Palace hold the cards – and the price

Any Liverpool move comes with a significant obstacle: Crystal Palace’s valuation and stance.

Reports last week suggested Liverpool might be cooling their interest. Journalist Pete O’Rourke told Football Insider on July 3 that it had “gone quiet” around Wharton, noting Palace’s reluctance to lose another key player after the exits of Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi in recent seasons.

O’Rourke also questioned whether Wharton perfectly fits Iraola’s preferred style, based on the high-intensity approach the Spaniard implemented at Bournemouth. With other clubs already busy in the midfield market, he pointed to Tottenham’s work on deals for Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali as an example of how the landscape is shifting.

From Palace’s perspective, though, there is no rush to sell. Wharton is under contract, he is central to their plans, and they are in what O’Rourke described as the “box seat”.

Behind the scenes, the message from Selhurst Park is even clearer. TEAMtalk’s transfer insider Graeme Bailey revealed back on April 17 that Palace want Wharton to become the club’s record sale. Sources indicate they are demanding £70m for the 22-year-old.

That figure is not plucked from thin air. Palace banked £68m from Arsenal for Eze in the summer of 2025, and the hierarchy now want at least £2m more for Wharton. It is a statement price, one that reflects both his potential and Palace’s determination not to be raided on the cheap.

A test of Liverpool’s resolve

So Liverpool face a decision. Do they push hard for a midfielder who will not come cheap, potentially sacrificing Elliott in the process, or do they prioritise other areas and walk away from a deal that has already consumed months of scouting and internal debate?

For now, the club are running the numbers and weighing the footballing cost. Iraola must decide whether Elliott is part of his vision or a valuable chip in a high-stakes negotiation.

Palace, strong in their position and clear on their valuation, will not blink first.

If Liverpool truly believe Wharton is the next pillar of their midfield, they may have to.