Liverpool: What would Adam Wharton signing mean for Ryan Gravenberch and Arne Slot's Premier League-winning midfield?

Premier League champions Liverpool person struggled successful 2025-26, but they look acceptable for different engaged model successful the transportation marketplace arsenic they purpose to bounce backmost and implicit the squad overhaul they started this term.

Arne Slot's Reds parted ways with a record-breaking £446.5m past summer, shattering the British transportation grounds doubly erstwhile they shelled retired connected deals worthy up to £116m and £125m for Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak respectively.

However, the Merseysiders' spending was offset by the information that they recouped £216m successful subordinate sales, sanctioning big-money exits for the likes of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez. Though this brought the club's nett walk down to a much 'reasonable' £230.5m, it left holes successful the side.

In 2026, Liverpool's CEO of Football Michael Edwards volition beryllium moving alongside sporting manager Richard Hughes to capable the gaps, with reliable sources suggesting that Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton is expected to beryllium a large people that could alteration the starting XI.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look astatine what would hap to Liverpool's midfield if they motion Wharton, with perchance large implications for Ryan Gravenberch.

Why bash Liverpool privation to motion Adam Wharton?

Since the departure of Fabinho successful the summertime of 2023, Liverpool person been without a earthy antiaircraft midfielder successful the squad, though a fig of players person deputised crossed the past 3 seasons.

Jurgen Klopp initially deployed Alexis Mac Allister successful the fig six role, earlier integrating Japan skipper Wataru Endo into his XI towards second fractional of the 2023-24 campaign.

Slot sought to bring Martin Zubimendi to Anfield successful bid to instrumentality the relation connected a semipermanent basis, but helium opted to enactment astatine Real Sociedad successful 2024-25, truthful Ryan Gravenberch was tasked with being Liverpool's deepest midfielder.

However, portion the erstwhile Ajax and Bayern Munich prima was named the Premier League's Young Player of the Year past word connected the mode to lifting the title, helium continues to diagnostic successful a presumption that is not champion suited to his attributes.

The Reds had targeted Zubimendi arsenic they were looking for a metronomic passer to run successful the fig six relation and advancement the shot from defence to attack, and portion Gravenberch is susceptible of safely receiving possession from the backline, helium struggles to marque cardinal passes successful midfield.

With that successful mind, the reasons down the imaginable pursuit of Wharton are wide - the Palace talisman is 1 of the champion progressive passers successful the Premier League, alongside Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson, who has been linked to Manchester City.

Who could permission if Adam Wharton joins Arne Slot's Liverpool?

Speaking successful his property league earlier Sunday's Merseyside derby, Slot stated that Liverpool volition beryllium progressive successful the summertime transportation market, and expect a fig of players to exit successful bid to substance the club's spending.

Focusing connected the midfield, academy postgraduate Curtis Jones has repeatedly been linked with a imaginable determination to either Inter Milan oregon Tottenham Hotspur, some of whom were credited with an involvement this January.

Given that the Englishman has failed to found himself arsenic a starter nether Slot - and volition soon participate the last 12 months of his Reds declaration - Liverpool are apt to authorisation a merchantability successful the upcoming window, which represents the past accidental for the nine to unafraid a respectable interest for the 25-year-old.

Additionally, reports person precocious emerged that hint astatine uncertainty surrounding the aboriginal of Mac Allister astatine Anfield, and considering that the World Cup victor has not been astatine his champion successful 2025-26, Hughes whitethorn look to currency successful connected the fig 10.

What could Liverpool's midfield look similar adjacent play with Adam Wharton?

Reports bespeak that Palace anticipation to person astir £80m for Wharton successful the lawsuit that helium leaves Selhurst Park, an outlay that would spot the Englishman go a guaranteed starter for Liverpool successful 2026-27.

This would alleviate Gravenberch from the duties associated with being the Reds' nominal antiaircraft midfielder, and could spot him moved into a much acquainted fig 8 relation going forward.

Filling retired adjacent season's prospective midfield trio would beryllium Dominik Szoboszlai, who has grown into an undroppable subordinate for the Merseysiders this word owed to his unparalleled moving power, arsenic good arsenic a fig of standout performances amidst a troubled run for the team.

However, specified a setup would permission Liverpool with a notable deficiency of physicality successful the mediate third, a disapproval that has often been levied astatine Slot's side, who person often been outmatched by their opponents successful that regard.

That imbalance hints astatine the anticipation of a 2nd midfield signing, an thought bolstered by the information that the Reds look apt to merchantability some Jones and Mac Allister, some of whom are often tasked with winning duels.

In specified a scenario, Gravenberch's newly-inked six-year £280,000 per-week declaration could go thing of an albatross for Liverpool, fixed that an further signing would not displace either Wharton oregon Szoboszlai, and whitethorn unit the fig 38 retired of the starting XI.