Why Liverpool May Have to Move Early to Sign Top Transfer Target

Adam Wharton was never meant to be a January story. Everything about his trajectory pointed toward a summer 2026 conversation: development at Crystal Palace, international consolidation, and then a carefully staged move to an elite club once timing, finances, and squad planning aligned. That was the sensible route. Liverpool, however, is no longer operating in a space where patience feels like a luxury they can afford.

The football has been disjointed, slow, and far too easy to disrupt. Opponents have worked out that Liverpool cannot consistently play through pressure, and once that first pass is denied, the entire structure creaks. This is where the Wharton links make sense, not as opportunism, but as necessity.

Liverpool are crying out for a specialist defensive midfielder who can also think like a playmaker. Wharton is exactly that. He doesn’t just recycle possession; he dictates it. He positions himself to receive under pressure, opens passing lanes with his body, and moves the ball early enough to prevent the press from ever fully setting. That profile is missing from this squad, and has been ever since Trent Alexander-Arnold departed.

For years, Liverpool’s build-up from deep revolved around Trent’s unique skill set. He wasn’t just a right-back; he was the ignition point. Whether it was a switch of play, a drilled pass through the centre, or a perfectly weighted ball down the channel for Mohamed Salah, everything flowed through him. Pressing Liverpool was a gamble because Trent could beat it instantly. Remove that, and the entire ecosystem collapses.

Replacing a Function, Not a Player

Liverpool have tried to replace Trent structurally rather than functionally, and that’s where the problem lies. Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konaté, Joe Gomez, and even Ryan Gravenberch when he drops deeper, are all being asked to play passes that do not suit their instincts. Teams know it. They press aggressively, cut off simple options, and dare Liverpool to find that difficult first ball. Too often, it ends in hesitation or turnover.

Wharton changes that equation. While he doesn’t share Trent’s positional profile, his game intelligence mirrors what Liverpool has lost. He understands tempo. He senses pressure before it arrives. He plays forward quickly, not recklessly, and crucially, he makes those around him better by giving them the ball earlier and in better areas.

Only Virgil van Dijk currently offers anything close to elite progression from deep, and even that places an unfair burden on a centre-back whose primary responsibility should be defending space, not orchestrating play. Wharton would remove that strain, allowing Liverpool to build with balance rather than improvisation.

This is why a January move, however extraordinary, begins to feel logical. Liverpool needs control now, not in eighteen months. They need a player who can calm games, speed them up when required, and give the side a platform to function as a collective again.

Looking ahead, a summer move for Elliott Anderson to add bite and physicality would complement Wharton perfectly. One brings rhythm and intelligence, the other energy and aggression. Together, they could finally give Liverpool the midfield spine this regeneration has been missing.

If Liverpool is serious about fixing their identity rather than masking symptoms, Adam Wharton isn’t just an option. He’s the answer they’ve been circling without admitting it.