Liverpool Pursue Adam Wharton as Jones Nears Inter Switch

Liverpool’s midfield is being ripped up and rewritten, and Adam Wharton has moved to the top of the new script.

With Curtis Jones on the brink of joining Inter Milan in a €35m deal, the Anfield hierarchy are preparing to ramp up their pursuit of the Crystal Palace midfielder, according to reports. Andoni Iraola, already reshaping the squad he inherited, has given the green light.

Jones out, Wharton in the crosshairs

The Jones exit has accelerated quickly. Fabrizio Romano delivered his trademark “here we go” on Wednesday, confirming a verbal agreement between Liverpool and Inter over a €35m package and a deal in place with the player. Jones has since been filmed arriving in Milan as he moves to complete medical tests and finalise the transfer.

His departure leaves a gap in Iraola’s midfield rotation. Liverpool’s response is clear: go big on Wharton.

Caught Offside report that Liverpool are “targeting an ambitious move” for the 22‑year‑old, with sources close to the agents’ market indicating the club are ready to “accelerate their pursuit” and install him as a direct replacement for Jones. Iraola is said to have “approved the idea” of bringing Wharton to Anfield, attracted by his ability to dictate tempo from deeper areas and unlock greater freedom for Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai higher up the pitch.

The plan is bold. The price even more so.

Palace dig in over £78m valuation

Crystal Palace have no intention of rolling over. Wharton only arrived at Selhurst Park in January and has surged through the ranks to become one of the Premier League’s most talked‑about young midfielders. Palace, unsurprisingly, are reluctant sellers.

The London club value Wharton at around £78m, a figure that underlines both his rapid rise and their determination to keep him for at least another season. Any Liverpool move will have to punch through that resistance or find a creative structure to tempt the Eagles into talks.

For Iraola and the recruitment team, the question is simple: is Wharton the midfielder worth stretching for in a summer already defined by major change?

A summer of upheaval at Anfield

This is not a quiet rebuild. Liverpool have already moved decisively in the market.

• Victor Munoz has joined permanently from Osasuna,
• Jeremy Jacquet has arrived from Rennes,
• Ronald Araujo has come in on a season‑long loan from Barcelona to bolster the defence.

At the other end of the pitch, Liverpool are locked in a drawn‑out chase for Paris Saint‑Germain winger Bradley Barcola, a deal that has dragged on for weeks but remains a priority.

They need it to land. Mohamed Salah’s departure to Trabzonspor at the end of last season left a gaping hole in the forward line, and Iraola has made strengthening his attacking options a central part of his first summer in charge.

Now, with Jones leaving and the midfield balance shifting again, Wharton has become the next big decision.

Rice’s glowing verdict

If Liverpool needed external validation of Wharton’s ceiling, Declan Rice has already provided it. Speaking in June while on England duty, the Arsenal midfielder was effusive about his young international team‑mate.

“He’s been outstanding,” Rice said. “In training, he impressed a lot of the players. He’s so composed and calm on the ball. He played his first half of the season in the Championship, he’s [come into the England team] from Crystal Palace now.”

Rice went further, highlighting the technical polish and mentality that have caught the eye inside the England camp.

“He’s got a beautiful left foot, really crisp passing. And all round, just a really down-to-earth boy who wants to learn. He’s still obviously only 20 years old, but to be on the plane to go to his first European Championships, what a moment for him and his family and I know he’s one who won’t take it for granted.

“You know, he’ll be ready when called upon. I think you see the other night how composed he is and he’s ready for the big stage.

“I think he’s one of them that doesn’t get fazed by big things. So yeah, two great additions [Wharton and Kobbie Mainoo] and I’d say the future is looking bright for England in midfield.”

That is the profile Liverpool are chasing: young, technically sharp, mentally cold under pressure, and already trusted on the international stage.

The deal will be difficult, the fee enormous, and Palace stubborn. But with Jones bound for Milan and Iraola reshaping Liverpool’s core, the question now is whether Anfield is ready to push all the way for the midfielder many inside the England camp believe is built for the biggest stage.