Arne Slot, alongside sports director Richard Hughes, is at his disposal a remarkable richness of quality, a series of exciting signatures in Liverpool this summer.
There was a departure from the team that won the Premier League last season, but FSG has been lit by green for the past few months, breaking the UK records when a £116 million deal to sign Florian Wiltz from Bayer Leverkusen was completed.
Hugo Ekitike also took part in for £79 million and started strong from both goals of the red opening fixture. The fullback has shown promises and Giorgi Mamaldashvili could star amongst the sticks when the fateful day of Allison’s departure comes.
However, Liverpool lacked something in the first week of the campaign and failed to gather elegant consistency that defines their maiden term in the slot system. The attack has not been clicked yet, but Virgil Van Dijk’s defense looks light even with Parma’s Giovanni Leoni, 18, signed for £26 million.
Of course, Ryan Gravenberch is fighting after missing the first few games of the season due to the pause and the birth of his first child. His return resolves the central imbalance.
The importance of the elite deep midfielder cannot be understated. Slot knows this, but his two most notable targets when the market enters the final stretch are in other areas of the field.
Latest Liverpool transfer news
Sadly, there hasn’t been much changed on the front line of Alexander Isaac. Newcastle United have not signed one striker, let alone two. It must happen in order for them to allow their desired talisman to leave Anfield, as well as his desires.
Who knows what happens in the week of the transfer window closure? Isaac is the top target for Liverpool, but it’s important that the Reds don’t flash in the pursuit. If they don’t land on Sweden International, it’s important to sign an alternative.
Similarly, the deal with Crystal Palace captain Mark Guech must close by the end of the month. Ibrahima Konate has entered the final year of his contract and has looked unstable so far this term.
Selhurst Park is a tricky negotiator, but I’m sure FSG will do that. Guehi wants to move to Anfield, and the £40 million price tag has dropped to £35 million, which is still above Liverpool’s valuation.
So the striker and center back. It will tie the bow to a sensational transfer window. But there’s another assigned guy who makes this a transcendent window for slot projects.
Liverpool’s ready-to-wind transfer move
Real Madrid’s interest in Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton has been growing, via sports witnesses, according to the Spanish outlet.
But Los Blancos isn’t alone in the race. Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United are also enthusiastic.
The Red Devils are felt to have the strongest plot at this stage, and have failed their bid to sign Carlos Valleva from Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Eagles will demand 80 million euros (£69 million) if they let go of the young maestro. All four European giants seem to have not been blocked by the noble price tag.
Why Liverpool wants to sign Wharton?
Wharton is merely a hatch on the Premier League scene, but he won the FA Cup last season and, of course, starring his youth and inexperiencedness from the start, starring in the second half of 2023/24, before winning his role in the FA Cup against Liverpool.
In the anchor area in the midfield, Wharton naturally becomes easier on the ball, always turning his eyes to the far-off passes where he has found the man. He is called a “passing plane” by journalist Henry Winter.
Thanks to FBREF’s data, Wharton is able to record the top 6% of the central midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues of shot-making action, top 9% of progressive passes and top 5% of ball recovery per 90.
The action of creating a shot is a game that leads to a shot. These include moments like passing, take-on, fouls and more.
That last stat is particularly impressive. The 21-year-old is not just a ballplay expert, although in his early stages, but he is also a high-level athlete, with iron making a firm, loose contribution to covering and chipping enough ground.
Wharton was able to revolutionize Liverpool in the slot. His skill set is perfectly in line with the way the boss wants to play. The flow ency is returned to the solid ball at the heart of the system, improving Liverpool’s transitional play.
The success of hitting a massive package for former Blackburn Rovers prospects may prove even more exciting deals than the arrival of Ekichique, even after the start of the French forward.
Wharton shines even at this stage of his career, and the injury has had a negative impact on his recent Premier League campaign, but his first foray into the top flight in the year before he showed how he could become a cream of slot crops shows how Greygunvelch’s victory as the core of last year’s title winners.
Premier League – Wharton (23/24) vs Gravenberch (24/25) | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (*per game) | Wharton | Gravenberch |
Match (start) | 16 (15) | 37 (37) |
the goal | 0 | 0 |
assist | 3 | 4 |
touch* | 49.6 | 66.5 |
Pass completed | 81% | 89% |
A big opportunity has been created | 5 | 3 |
Key Pass* | 1.3 | 0.9 |
Dribbling success | 60% | 1.0 |
Ball recovery* | 5.3 | 5.2 |
Tackle + Intercept* | 4.3 | 3.5 |
Duels (winning)* | 4.9 (54%) | 5.0 (57%) |
Data based on sofa score | ||
It is not unfair to claim that Wharton’s first step in the Premier League is echoing the success of 2024/25 Young Player of the Year.
How exciting is it? Slot could take the British to a higher level, and perhaps even see him playing a more influential and attractive role than Ekitique, perhaps even playing a second violin to Isaac in a few weeks, for all his glow.
It is also worth noting that after two matches in Liverpool shirts, Ekitique boasts the same record as Darwin Nunes after a big-budget signature.
It’s probably a bit too much to bring both Isaac and Wharton to Merseyside in the week ending the Transfer Window. Perhaps Palace President Steve Parish will fight teeth and claws and resist the official approach of his silky midfielder.
However, Liverpool’s interest is real, and if Wharton becomes the colour of Liverpool, he becomes a superstar under the wing of the slot, heading for the top of the game and even leaps the club’s most exciting up-and-coming Ekitique.
