Liverpool already in talks for £82m ‘cheat code’

Liverpool need to maintain their good form in the Premier League if they are to aim for a top-four or five-place finish, avoid a dogfight, and seal a place in next year’s Champions League.

After last summer’s £450m splurge, the impact of missing out (for the second time in four years) could be severe.

Arne Slott’s side took a risk when they opted against January signings in order to strengthen their attack and strengthen their backline, but FSG have suggested Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are good enough to get the job done during the opening hours of the season, with Jeremy Jacquet joining from Rennes this summer.

Liverpool completed the signing of the 20-year-old French prospect on deadline day, snapping him up for £60m. However, the exciting up-and-comer will remain in France for the time being, meaning the Reds will have to make do with just a handful of central defensive options.

With Giovanni Leoni recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, Liverpool could look to other areas of the field in the summer.

Liverpool’s summer transfer priorities

Uncertainty prevails regarding Mohamed Salah, who has undoubtedly been linked with a move to the Saudi Professional League ahead of the summer transfer window, but FSG will only sanction the long-term Liverpool forward’s departure if a suitable replacement is found.

But midfield could be an equally pressing issue, especially with the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones likely to leave Merseyside.

The perfect solution? Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton. Eagles chairman Steve Parish has set his asking price for the 21-year-old, one of Europe’s most sought-after midfielders, at €95m (equivalent to £82m), according to sources in Spain.

Liverpool’s interest is certain, but they are competing with Manchester United and Real Madrid in the race for the England international, with all three suitors now revealed to have opened initial talks with Palace.

Why Wharton is the perfect player for Liverpool

Slott has struggled to elicit any form from Liverpool’s players this season and has been criticized for lacking a defined style of play. But that’s not true. Slott favors possession-based football, despite this strategy failing to generate creativity.

While Jaquet brings depth and strength to Liverpool’s backline, Wharton will be key to making the wider system work.

The former Blackburn prospect ranks in the top six per cent of Premier League midfielders for creating big chances and in the top 13 per cent for long balls, highlighting the breadth of distribution that has been lacking in Liverpool’s midfield, according to journalist Henry Winter.

He boasts a natural aptitude for sharp passes that helped establish Oliver Glasner’s fluid and aggressive pressing system, and has even been called a “cheat code.”

And he knows how to defend, averaging 4.8 duels won and 2.4 tackles this season.

Restocking the defensive options has clearly been the most pressing concern at Anfield for some time now, and with Konate looking set to leave, Jaquet has marked a worthy successor.

But even though the young Frenchman has been a mainstay in Ligue 1 this season, he has only made 31 appearances in the top flight for Rennes. Moreover, he has made as many direct mistakes as his Liverpool-based compatriot, suggesting he is not yet a finished product.

Wharton, of course, has a wealth of Premier League experience and will be assured of a starting spot in this Liverpool team from the off-season. However, Jaquet may have a hard time replacing Konate, who was a monster defender at the time.

Don’t get me wrong, we’re not against Liverpool signing Jaquet, who analyst Ben Mattinson hails as having “the potential of a top-five centre-back in the world”.

But Wharton also has the skills to become one of the best players in the world, and with his title-winning and Premier League star status already under his belt, it’s clear he could be a mainstay from the start under Slott.