Former Liverpool left-back Stephen Warnock has advised the Reds' board to move for Crystal Palace's talented young midfielder Adam Wharton to bolster their squad after the season ended with Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi failing to sign.
“I think they will sign new players,” Warnock said. “I really do, and I think there will be two or three players coming to the club in the final stages. We all know they tried to sign Zubimendi and there was a lot of talk about that. But in the end it didn’t happen.”
“My comments may offend Crystal Palace fans, I would suggest that if I were Liverpool I would consider signing Adam Wharton to play as a No.6 midfielder, because if you look at the way they play everything has to go through the goal. A defensive midfielder that is the way Arne Slot wants it.
“You could say Wharton is the one who kept secrets from Palace even though he only just moved here. But he has raised the level of the team to the point where he is already in the England squad.
“I know Ryan Gravenberch played well in the second half (against Ipswich), but in the first half he really struggled in that position. Ipswich players got tired and lost their rhythm. So he started to get space to play and the problem with Gravenberch is that his form last season was up and down, uncertain.”
“You can trust him. But when you look at the alternatives and think, should we have someone else to replace him? Someone who can play naturally in that position, and for me, Wharton is the right person.