Liverpool's midfield is reportedly facing underlying issues, with suggestions that The Reds should sign Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace before the transfer window closes.

There have been suggestions that Liverpool should pursue Crystal Palace's star Adam Wharton in the final week of the transfer market to address key concerns in midfield. The 22-year-old has impressed in the Premier League since joining from Championship side Blackburn to Selhurst Park, earning nearly 100 appearances for Crystal Palace. Wharton, a former England international, has demonstrated excellent defensive interception and the ability to break up opposition attacks as a defensive midfielder, while also initiating attacks with forward passes. Liverpool currently need a player like this, as concerns have arisen regarding the characteristics of their current midfielders under manager Arne Slot and their compatibility. As the away draw against Newcastle showed, with Matheus Gravenberch and Dominic Szoboszlai starting and Luis Díaz playing in a higher position, Liverpool's setup is clearly attack-heavy. Newcastle continuously exploited opportunities to counter-attack, with plenty of space to transition from defense to attack, scoring two goals this way. This has led some supporters to call for the club to sign a specialist defensive midfielder, with Wharton being a potential candidate who could enhance the team's overall defensive stability and balance.

With this in mind, former Liverpool player Jermaine Pennant has called on the club to sign the Crystal Palace and England star. In an interview with a media outlet, he said: "Given Liverpool's current situation, the team really needs a defensive midfielder, and I would be willing to pay the transfer fee for Wharton."

"If Jude Bellingham was worth £116 million (around $158.2 million), then Wharton's value wouldn't be far off. He's an England international, and there's always an expectation that he could feature in England's squad. So for me, I'd say, pay the money and sign him." While this deal could genuinely help Liverpool strengthen their squad, the likelihood of completing a deal in the final week of this summer's transfer window is low. According to reports, Crystal Palace rejected an offer from Manchester City earlier in the transfer window, and there are no signs from the London club that they will sell the 22-year-old early. Moreover, manager Arne Slot has made clear that he doesn't believe the midfield issues are down to any specific player, which also seems to rule out addressing the problem through transfers. He explained after the Newcastle draw: "It's not just about personnel."

"I know Matheus Gravenberch essentially plays as a defensive midfielder, but he was at the edge of the box. If he shoots and scores, we'll say: 'What a brilliant piece of play from Matheus Gravenberch.'"

"I don't want us to remove this characteristic from his game, but the whole team must adapt to these situations and understand that similar scenarios can happen. For the second goal, we had more defenders, but we didn't make a mistake and apply immediate pressure. It's not just because of one player in that position, but an issue that many players need to collectively improve on."

It remains to be seen how the manager plans to adjust the team, but for now, Liverpool appears unlikely to sign a midfielder in the final week of the transfer window, despite continued calls from supporters and former players.

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