20 Aug 2026 12:50:09
? Manchester City enquired to Crystal Palace about Adam Wharton but were told 22yo midfielder not available this summer. England international among candidates on #MCFC recruitment list but #CPFC have no intention of selling before deadline @TheAthleticFC.
20 Aug 2026 13:38:47
As much as I like Wharton, he is not what we need unless Macca leaves. We need a DM as your name states hahaha.
20 Aug 2026 14:00:04
I really thought we'd sell Macca and sign Wharton this summer. However, with Macca confirmed as staying, there is absolutely no need for Wharton anymore.
Jones played 2850 minutes last season, and a large chunk of that was at RB (540 minutes). We've added Aruajo as extra RB cover now, though, and Iraola seems to trust Frimpong there as well, whereas Slot played Frimpong RW a lot. So we're only really looking to replace about 2300 minutes in midfield across every competition.
The main Jones replacement in midfield is quite simply going to be Szoboszlai. Iraola has made it very clear that Wirtz will be playing behind the striker for him, which pushes Szoboszlai back into midfield to rotate with Gravenberch and Mac Allister. I think Endo will stay as well for his experience and leadership, especially in the early Cup rounds when we'll play with lots of young players.
With Nyoni and McConnell for additional depth, we have 3 players of starting quality and 3 back ups for just 2 positions in the team. By the end of the season, I think Nyoni may well prove himself to be starting quality as well.
That's pretty comfortable in terms of midfield depth, but I do question whether we lack a certain profile of player. I'd have sold Macca and bought a mobile ball winner like Camara, but I really don't see it happening now. We can't force Macca out if he doesn't want to leave.
Hopefully Iraola has a plan to get our midfield balanced again through good coaching and tactics. The rumours of Gavi are interesting as he's a mobile ball winner but he has a very questionable injury history. I'm therefore unconvinced we'll move for him at the price Barcelona will probably want.
20 Aug 2026 14:08:56
Spot on, MK. Some just want players bought for the sake of it. If Macca had left for a hefty fee, that's a different matter.
20 Aug 2026 14:09:15
Reports suggest Utd had agreed a fee with Barca for £35/40mil for the player, but the player turned them down.
That fee seems very reasonable.
It's unclear whether he turned them down because it's Utd, or because he doesn't want to leave at all.
Seems like a very "moneyball" target.
Quality player at a reasonable price, but has his own issues, from a club who's in financial diffs.
20 Aug 2026 14:12:02
If Macca wants his move to Madrid, then he is going to have to play for it this season. Can't imagine they would be interested in him on last season's performance.
On a side note, was it ever revealed what his mystery illness/injury was at the start of last season? Just wondering if that could explain his sudden lack of form. Maybe I'm clutching at straws!
20 Aug 2026 14:17:29
I agree that Szob will play in midfield with Grav, and, for me, he 100% has to. No one else has the strength, speed, endurance and mobility to operate there, other than him, who can cope with the workload that Iraola will be demanding.
That could, and maybe should, also massively help Grav, as long as he sits rather than keep wandering forward!
20 Aug 2026 14:22:16
Gingerlfc, I'm one of the most optimistic people in the entire fanbase judging by this forum, but is £40m really reasonable?
If you look at the last few players we've signed with a history of multiple knee injuries, it's Thiago Alcantara, Arthur Melo and Federico Chiesa. I know Gavi is younger and might therefore have a better chance of bouncing back, but honestly I would not be paying that much money for anyone with that kind of injury record.
Chiesa cost £12m, Arthur was a £3m loan fee, and Thiago was only £20m. Somehow I still feel we were ripped off despite only spending £35m on the trio! Players tend to come back well from an isolated/single ACL tear nowadays. But these deeper knee issues that reoccur multiple times just seem to be career destroying.
20 Aug 2026 14:23:57
I think people have forgotten all too quickly that our weak midfield won the Premier League just 1 year ago. Are we dismissing their ability too hastily, considering the entirety of the situation? If nothing else, that title win warrants an opportunity to redeem themselves this year under better management, I think.
20 Aug 2026 14:24:58
"On a side note, was it ever revealed what his mystery illness/injury was at the start of last season?"
He had hernia surgery.
That's why he didn't play the last few games of the title-winning season and was late back to pre-season last season.
Recovery from hernia surgery means little to no movement.
20 Aug 2026 14:36:08
Spot on Chewy. Some people have very short memories.
20 Aug 2026 14:44:41
£35/40mil for a quality 22yr old playing for the one of the world's best teams, having won several league titles, World Cup winner with his country and has 4yrs left on his contract.
Not sure where you expect to pay much less.
20 Aug 2026 14:44:53
Having the midfield numbers and having a functional midfield are two different things.
Szobo & Grav are not a functional midfield pivot. Time will show that.
And Macca cares more about his Argentina team mates, hairline and yerba mate than he does for LFC.
Counting Endo for his leadership and experience is a joke.
He was a stop-gap 3 seasons ago. He's now just dead weight that is using up a non-HG spot.
McConnell has looked way out of his depth in the preseason games so far, so I am surprised to hear he has been told he is staying.
20 Aug 2026 14:49:03
I'm not so sure MK/Chewy
Firstly, we can all agree we are missing a midfield profile. But, secondly, I think we need another body. We are a Gravenberg injury away from a Macca-Dom midfield where a kid who has never started a PL game (I don't think) will be the main back up for both double pivot spots? For 3 games per week?
I've loved what I've seen from Nyoni in pre-season, and he will get minutes with or without a new signing for sure, but he is still developing and many on here had written him off before those handful of friendly games.
It sounds comforting mentioning Endo and Mcconnell, but there's a reason nobody is coming in for them when they are both available. Can you imagine one of them being in your double pivot in a run of games, say Villa away, Bayern away, Arsenal away. Sometimes fixtures all like that on European weeks.
I'd feel different if Trey was a season older or it was the title winning version of Macca.
Bear in mind if Wirtz gets injured, Dom or Macca takes his place too most likely.
20 Aug 2026 14:52:09
Agree with you, Chewy. A lot of folk on here were saying that whoever comes in would sort things out, as it was all down to Slot and his tactics. So, let's give Iraola a chance to get a tune out of a Premiership winning midfield.
I await posters saying Salah won us the league. Well, we spent over 300 million on attacking players, last summer, to compensate for his loss.
{Ed001's Note - it is so refreshing to have a summer where I am in agreement with you Rome!}
20 Aug 2026 15:01:51
By October AI will teach Macca to do what Wharton does, to some extent, I believe. Hopefully, what our coach can squeeze out of this squad will help to keep afloat and above no-CL zone, maybe a domestic cup by season's end, who knows. Just having Iraola and lads coming back from injuries gives a lot of hope.
20 Aug 2026 15:18:31
My own thoughts here, just wondering if we could possibly encourage Harvey Elliott to move to Palace as part of a deal to buy Wharton. It would avoid Palace having to panic buy a replacement. I realise that would be a big ask and very difficult to get agreement from all parties, but sometimes anything is possible.
20 Aug 2026 15:32:41
It's not about the balance of the midfield, it's that we have a load of tarts in the positions. No grit or mouth on any of them, and we can easily be overrun. The reason I think it's important is because we haven't got them credentials anywhere else in the team, particularly the defence.
This is how teams sussed us out, and bulldoze through the centre as we farted about.
20 Aug 2026 15:32:57
Clemence, why would Palace be interested in Elliott?
20 Aug 2026 15:39:00
Won't knock people happy with McConnell, Trey and Endo as our backups. I've already said my piece. Let's hope to God the first choice 3 or 4 don't get injuries for any length of time. There's optimism and then there's just naivety. Same people will then be giving out bucketloads about the club when it will be too late.
20 Aug 2026 15:45:28
I agree with Chewy, I've not written them off in light of how crap Slot was last season. But the likes of Arsenal are drastically better than when we won the league. We need a better midfield.
20 Aug 2026 16:04:38
If Wharton (22) cannot get into an England World Cup squad when Jordan Henderson could at age 36?
Shows. If you are not good enough for England, you are certainly not good enough for LFC?
20 Aug 2026 16:11:44
God bless you, Ed01! I'm going to frame your response, alongside my photo of John Barnes! Hope you're well, mate.
{Ed001's Note - all good mate, looking forward to the new season with genuine excitement. I think people are underestimating just how much of a difference a top coach can make over the course of a season. The guy got a dismantled Bournemouth team into Europe, imagine what he can do with us.}
20 Aug 2026 16:28:41
Imagine what he could do then Ed if his squad was ready to go all out in the four comps.Im excited for Ireola but they have to give him some more help than what they have done.
{Ed001's Note - yes, but you are the one judging players on how they play in friendlies. Maybe he is happy with what he has and what they are going to bring in for him in the next couple of weeks. Can we not just enjoy the fact that we are going to be enjoyable to watch again?}
20 Aug 2026 16:49:36
Are we getting desperate? Ormstein has just stated that we have had a bid for Minteh, who's still injured, rejected by Brighton.
20 Aug 2026 16:41:05
Ed001 we need midfielders. At least one top one at the very least. All good work in the training pitch can and will become undone with what we currently have available. Grav may pull up his socks but macca is a problem. No legs and basically leaving us wide open when he's out of position.
{Ed001's Note - yes, but we should still have enough to compete at the top with this squad. I just don't think it is worth getting wound up over it, if we don't get one. Hughes will be gone soon and we can then hopefully look forward to competence in the SD role.}
20 Aug 2026 17:30:55
Wharton will be a top player and better than Macca. AI would be great for Wharton's game, if he ends up at City we will regret it. I'd buy him anyway.
But, looks likely we aren't buying anyone else.
20 Aug 2026 17:39:21
I judged McConnell from the friendlies because I wanted to be kind and just limit it to that. If I was being honest I would have just said in general I don't think the lad is anywhere near good enough for this club. He's turning 22. Only a few months younger than the likes of Wharton. We need better to replace Jones in my opinion.
On the enjoying part I'm really looking forward to watching us under Ireola. Bournemouth were great to watch 2nd half of last season. I just think we could do more for him. It's going to be hard enough for him having to get used to a European campaign without having to rely on kids.
20 Aug 2026 18:28:04
We've had problems with sporting directors since we introduced the concept. If it's an internal appointment replacing Hughes, I wouldn't be particularly confident, as they will probably follow a similar path. I'd prefer an outside appointment to bring fresh ideas and approach.
20 Aug 2026 23:56:50
007, I wouldn't judge Wharton on Tuchel picking Hendo over him.
Tuchel made a few shocking decisions, to be honest, but I'm sure he picked Hendo and Stones moreso for the experience and leadership to be around the squad rather than football. Stones barely played before the WC, and Hendo was far off his prime.
If picking a midfielder for their football skills and form, Tuchel could've picked any of Wharton, Garner or Scott instead of Hendo.
Tuchel also made other terrible decisions like taking Mainoo (better picks in the above 3 mids) or Madueke and Toney (better picks were Gibbs-White, Bowen or Palmer).
Wharton is a solid midfielder who would offer great passing ability and progression like TAA used to do, but I believe we won't get him unless Macca left (not enough minutes for too many similar midfielders). Also, I'd rather Sadiki, Camara or Kone if we were selling Macca so that we can have more steel in the midfield.