Liverpool Targets Adam Wharton as Curtis Jones Moves to Inter

Liverpool’s midfield is on the move again. Curtis Jones is heading for Inter Milan, and the club have quickly fixed their gaze on one of the Premier League’s most talked‑about young controllers: Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton.

The dominoes are already falling. Victor Munoz and Jeremy Jacquet have arrived permanently from Osasuna and Rennes. Ronald Araujo is in on a season-long loan from Barcelona. Behind the scenes, negotiations for Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola have rumbled on for weeks as Liverpool try to reshape an attack that has already lost Mohamed Salah to Trabzonspor.

Now the focus is shifting back to the middle of the pitch.

Jones, a symbol of Liverpool’s academy pathway, is finalising his move to Serie A. Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano delivered his trademark “here we go” on Wednesday, revealing Inter have a verbal agreement with Liverpool on a €35m package and an agreement with the player, with medical tests being lined up. Footage has since shown Jones arriving in Milan to complete the formalities.

His departure leaves a gap. Andoni Iraola, tasked with steering Liverpool into a new era, has identified Wharton as a prime candidate to fill it.

Iraola pushes for Wharton

According to Caught Offside, Liverpool are “targeting an ambitious move” for the 22-year-old Palace midfielder, with sources close to the agency world indicating the club are ready to accelerate their pursuit now Jones is on his way out.

Crucially, Iraola has given his approval. The Spaniard is said to be keen on adding Wharton’s calm authority in deeper areas, a profile that could unshackle Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai higher up the pitch. A metronome at the base, licence for chaos ahead.

The problem? Palace know exactly what they have.

Wharton only joined the Eagles from Blackburn Rovers in January and has surged into the England setup since, quickly becoming one of the most admired young midfielders in the country. Palace are under no pressure to sell and are described as reluctant to do business, with the club valuing him at around £78m. That figure alone shows how hard Liverpool will have to push if they want him at Anfield this summer.

Rice’s ringing endorsement

The hype around Wharton is not built on social media clips. It is coming from inside Gareth Southgate’s dressing room.

Declan Rice, England’s midfield anchor and one of the most influential voices in the squad, has already gone on record with glowing praise. Speaking in June 2024 about his new international team-mate, Rice called Wharton “outstanding” and detailed the impression he made in camp.

“In training, he impressed a lot of the players. He’s so composed and calm on the ball,”

Rice said, highlighting the remarkable jump Wharton has made in a single season – from a first half of the campaign in the Championship to Crystal Palace, then straight into the England squad.

Rice picked out Wharton’s “beautiful left foot” and “really crisp passing”, but also stressed his mentality: a down-to-earth 20-year-old who wants to learn and doesn’t get fazed by big occasions. Wharton’s inclusion in England’s squad for his first European Championships was framed by Rice as a landmark moment he would not take for granted – and proof that he is “ready for the big stage”.

For Liverpool’s recruitment team, those are the sort of references that stick.

A bold test of Liverpool’s new era

This is the fork in the road for Liverpool’s midfield rebuild. Losing a homegrown player like Jones for significant money and reinvesting in a 22-year-old England international from a Premier League rival is a clear statement of intent, but it will not come cheap and it will not come easy.

Palace’s stance, Liverpool’s need, Wharton’s trajectory – all of it points towards a long, hard negotiation if the Reds decide he is the one. With Barcola talks dragging and Salah already gone, Iraola’s first Liverpool squad is being shaped in real time.

How far are Liverpool prepared to go to land the midfielder many inside the England camp already see as one of the future pillars of their national team?