Liverpool makes $134M midfield star 'top priority' amid summer transfer links
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Liverpool FC NewsTransfer NewsLiverpool FCThe midfield remains an area of interest to Liverpool this summer, as the club continues to be linked with several potential options for the center of the pitch.Liverpool has been linked with a move for a new midfielder this summer(Image: (Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC via Getty Images))Liverpool's summer transfer strategy will see the club bolster several key positions, as reports now claim that a midfielder is the "top priority" amid numerous links.It comes as the Reds have already addressed the backline with the arrival of Jeremy Jacquet, while the signing of Victor Munoz is one of two forwards expected to join over the coming months.The wide areas remain a key area of focus, as Liverpool continues to search for a potential high-profile signing to replace Mohamed Salah in the transfer window.Bradley Barcola has been widely reported as a target, while there have been links to the likes of Said El Mala, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Yankuba Minteh, and Iliman Ndiaye.Beyond them, the midfield could be next on the agenda, with links emerging over the likes of Alex Scott and Ayyoud Bouaddi in the market.However, Spanish outlet AS now reports that Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton is a "top priority target" for Liverpool in the coming weeks of the transfer window.It's claimed that the 22-year-old's exit from Selhurst Park will only be considered if the offer exceeds the $134 million valuation that has been placed on him.Wharton has a contract until 2029 with Crystal Palace, meaning they have some time to consider their options and there is no rush for them to facilitate a sale to raise funds.Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton.(Image: Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)It would be quite a pivot from Liverpool to move from a potentially expensive winger acquisition to the expensive signing of a player like Wharton, but it would certainly improve the options available to Andoni Iraola.The head coach has already emphasized the importance of intensity within his style of play, and while the England international doesn't exactly cover ground in the same way as others, he would provide an outlet in possession.Wharton is an ideal deep-lying playmaker, constantly looking to punch the ball between the lines to pick out teammates with his first thought always being about how to progress the team up the field.That could offer a slightly different profile to that of Ryan Gravenberch, while the Dutch midfielder may be freed up to play slightly further up the pitch as a result.Either way it could signal a major shake-up in the Liverpool midfield, which is expecting changes as the likes of Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, and Alexis Mac Allister have all been linked with exits amid their contract uncertainty.It remains to be seen just how probable the deal is, given the funds it would take and the priorities that remain elsewhere in the team, but a move for Wharton would show that Liverpool means business for next season.Choose Liverpool.com as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.Liverpool FC