Crystal Palace block Liverpool's move for Adam Wharton, with Sage insisting 'it's not the moment'

Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage has shut down any prospect of Adam Wharton joining Liverpool before the transfer window closes, declaring it is “not the moment” for the midfielder to leave Selhurst Park. The comments, relayed by transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano on X, effectively end what CaughtOffside had described as Liverpool’s “ambitious” pursuit of the 22-year-old.

Sage was unambiguous about his intentions to keep Wharton. “Adam can play at a big club but I think one year with us, one year with a new dynamic, will be good for him and we need him,” the new Palace head coach said. The Frenchman’s stance aligns with the club’s internal position — FourFourTwo understands Palace regard Wharton as almost unsellable this summer, with the Lancastrian expected to command a fee in the region of £100m when he does eventually depart South London.

Wharton joined Palace from Blackburn Rovers in January 2024 after coming through the Rovers academy and establishing himself as a Championship regular. He has since developed into one of the Premier League’s most composed defensive midfielders, earning widespread recognition last season when he was named Man of the Match in the Conference League final. That performance, combined with his England credentials, attracted reported interest from Liverpool and both Manchester clubs during the current window.

For Liverpool, the setback leaves new head coach Andoni Iraola still searching for reinforcements. The Reds have had a restrained summer by recent standards, having spent well over £400 million in the previous transfer window. So far, only Victor Munoz and Jeremy Jacquet have arrived on permanent deals, while academy product Curtis Jones has departed. Iraola acknowledged the squad remains stretched, telling Jamie Carragher in a recent interview: “We’ll definitely sign players. Some deals you have to wait until the end. At the end, the important picture is the one we have September 1 because we are still quite thin.”

With the window approaching its deadline, Liverpool’s attention is likely to turn to other targets. The club had been looking at Bradley Barcola and Yankuba Minteh among others, though no deals for either have been confirmed. Wharton, meanwhile, looks set to remain at Palace for at least another season — and his value, currently listed at €70m by Transfermarkt, will only continue to rise.