Liverpool Linked with Late Summer Move for £80m Midfielder | OneFootball

Should Liverpool Target Wharton in This Final Week?

Liverpool may have left St. James’ Park with three points after a breathless 2–3 win over Newcastle, but the result was as much about survival as supremacy. Once again, the Reds’ attacking brilliance dragged them over the line, while the structural flaws in midfield were laid bare, something which left the backline under constant pressure. For all the noise about forwards and full-backs, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes face an unavoidable reality: this team still lacks a true defensive midfielder and deep-lying playmaker. The question is obvious—should Liverpool move for Adam Wharton before the window slams shut?

Winning Ugly, Exposed Clearly

This was a performance that underlined both Liverpool’s strengths and its weaknesses. Slot’s side sliced Newcastle apart in attacking phases which were more luck than judgment. But when Newcastle gained territory, the gaps in Liverpool’s midfield were gaping, held together only by the brilliance of Virgil van Dijk and Dominic Szobozlai.

Anthony Elanga and Bruno Guimarães repeatedly broke through central and wide areas, forcing Alisson Becker into action and asking too much of a defence already stretched thin. Ryan Gravenberch started, but the Dutch midfielder looked bullied rather than proactive; Curtis Jones and Florian Wirtz offered endeavour, yet neither dictated the game’s tempo nor cut off Newcastle’s transitions. The absence of a controlling presence—a Fabinho-type figure who shields the back four and recycles possession—was glaring.

Yes, Liverpool got the win. But it came the hard way. A title-winning side cannot rely on chaotic resilience every week. Newcastle exploited a tactical blind spot that Bournemouth had already highlighted on opening day. Others will take note and the issues will only become more common.

The Wharton Question

Adam Wharton has quickly become one of the most reliable young midfielders in the Premier League. At Crystal Palace, his composure belies his age: he reads the game, intercepts counters before they develop, and distributes calmly under pressure. Exactly the attributes Liverpool have lacked since Fabinho’s decline and departure.

The valuation—around £80 million—will raise eyebrows, but the market dictates it. Liverpool would have paid £110m for Moisés Caicedo and he could have been a transformative addition. In that context, Wharton at £80m looks less like extravagance and more like a necessary piece of insurance. He isn’t just a short-term plug. At 21, he could anchor this midfield for the next decade.

Liverpool’s rivals have already armed themselves in midfield this summer: Arsenal with Zubimendi, City with Tijjani Reijnders, whilst Chelsea are now looking a genuine threat once again. If Slot is to maintain a balance between attack and defence, Wharton represents the last missing piece. He offers steel, but also the tempo control needed to unleash Isak (we hope), Wirtz, and Salah without leaving the back line perpetually exposed.

A Defining Final Week

The irony is that Liverpool’s window has already been one of efficiency. Kerkez, Wirtz, Ekitike, Mamardashvili, and Frimpong have all addressed specific needs. Marc Guéhi and Alexander Isak could soon follow. But none of that solves the structural imbalance in midfield. Add Wharton, and Liverpool go from papering over cracks to building a foundation.

Arne Slot can coach solutions in shape and pressing triggers, but there’s only so much tactical plasterwork can do without the right profile of player. The Newcastle game proved it beyond doubt: this side can outscore almost anyone, but they still give up too much in central zones. That is not sustainable over a 38-game season.

Liverpool doesn’t need luxury now—they need equilibrium. Wharton brings exactly that. If Edwards and Hughes act decisively this week, the final piece of the puzzle could turn a nervy 2–3 escape into a platform for genuine dominance.