Danny Murphy is a big fan of Adam Wharton – but he doesn’t think the Crystal Palace midfielder should be top of Liverpool’s shopping list next summer.
Wharton has established himself as one of the Premier League’s best midfielders since his move from Blackburn Rovers in January 2024.
The Englishman played a vital role as the Eagles won the FA Cup last season, and has started all 10 Palace games he has been available for this campaign.
Despite being under contract at Selhurst Park until 2029, Wharton has attracted interest from several top clubs, with Manchester United most recently linked with a £60million swoop for the 21-year-old.
Liverpool have also been linked with a move for Wharton, and their interest may have only increased after Palace chairman Steve Parish admitted the midfielder may want to move to a Champions League club in the coming years.
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However, Murphy believes that, while no fan would turn their nose up at the signing of Wharton, Liverpool must prioritise improving other areas of their squad next summer.
‘Well, I like him. I think he’s a lovely footballer,’ Murphy told Metro via online casino BetWright.
‘The game comes easy to him. And I understand why lots of people would be interested in him.
‘I think at the moment, Liverpool are quite well covered. McAllister is a playmaker, Gravenberch can do it, Curtis Jones is in there and he’s not starting everything, Szobozslai can play in there. Endo’s on the bench; he’s a more tenacious, gritty, holding midfielder.
‘I would think the priority for Liverpool is at centre back. That’s obviously the one area people are concerned about.
‘Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think there’s a Liverpool fan around who would be upset if Wharton joined us. But I’m not sure that at the moment, that’s the priority for Liverpool.’
‘Wirtz has to do more – but I’m not concerned’
For now, though, the focus for many is on Liverpool’s signings from the most recent summer window and the high-profile players who are yet to hit the ground running.
The Reds broke the British transfer record twice in a matter of months to bring in Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, but both are yet to get up and running with a goal or assist in the league.
Wirtz, in particular, has found it hard to slip seamlessly into Slot’s set-up and was dropped for Liverpool’s defeat to Chelsea prior to the international break.
But despite that, Murphy has faith that the German international will show his class once he is fully up to speed with the demands of the Premier League.
‘I think he’s been a tad unlucky,’ Murphy said. ‘I’m not sure the narrative would be as strong if a lot of the chances he created had been put away, because he hasn’t made some really good chances.
‘If I think back to the Everton game, even in Galatasaray, or the Chelsea game, the unbelievable flick for Salah, you’re looking at four or five chances in the last three games where he really should have a good few assists to his name, which has nothing to do with him. It’s just been some poor finishing.
‘But he needs to do more. I think he is probably a little bit surprised how physical the league is and how intense it is.
‘I mean, his running stats are good. It’s not so much running around in his fitness levels. It’s more just the physicality of the teams you’re coming up against when you play the likes of Newcastle or Arsenal or Palace. These are teams with really physical players.
‘And maybe in the Bundesliga, the majority of the games he played, it wasn’t quite as intense. So, I think that element has maybe brought him out a little bit.
‘But I’ve seen so much with him that I like. He’s such a clever footballer. So, I don’t really worry for him. I don’t think players of that class and that ability stay in a bad bit of form for long. They always come through and we’ve seen it in the past. So, I’m not concerned by him.’
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