Liverpool accelerating move to sign £70m star after Munoz

Andoni Iraola’s arrival as Liverpool boss has injected a newfound sense of optimism into the fanbase ahead of the 2026/27 Premier League campaign.

The Spaniard has penned a two-year contract at Anfield with an option of a third, subsequently moving to Merseyside after rejecting a new deal at Bournemouth.

His heavy-metal front-foot attacking system is no doubt a leading factor to his appointment, after the likes of Mohamed Salah criticised former boss Arne Slot for his tactics in recent months.

As a result, a huge impetus has been placed on the Reds’ efforts to secure a plethora of new attacking options for Iraola for his debut campaign at the helm. Yan Diomande is being relentlessly pursued while a shock deal to hijack Newcastle’s move for Spanish winger Victor Munoz was all agreed very late on Wednesday night.

However, other areas of the pitch are also set to be bolstered, with the midfield department another on the agenda for the recruitment team ahead of the summer window.

Liverpool advance deal to sign £70m talent this summer

After his remarkable World Cup display against Brazil last week, Lille star Ayyoub Bouaddi has emerged as a huge transfer target for Liverpool this summer.

It’s been reported in recent days that the Reds have already held talks with the 18-year-old’s representatives over the possibility of a move to Anfield in the near future.

However, a huge transfer battle could well be on the cards, as current Premier League champions Arsenal are also said to be hugely interested in landing the Moroccan international.

Bouaddi certainly isn’t the only midfielder being considered by the recruitment team at present, with Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton once again emerging on their radar.

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are said to have intensified their efforts and advanced a move to land the 22-year-old Englishman over the last couple of days.

The report also states that the player himself is said to be keen on working under Iraola, which could hand the Reds a huge boost in the pursuit of his signature.

However, any deal would likely be another expensive one for the hierarchy, as the Eagles are said to be demanding at least £70m to offload their key man this window. Thankfully, the Reds are confident they can agree a deal with Palace before too long.

Why Wharton would be better than Bouaddi for Liverpool

During the title-winning campaign of 2024/25, a deep-lying midfield duo of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch often became a regular fixture in their success.

However, the former of the duo is said to be on the radar of Real Madrid this summer, whilst the latter was unable to replicate his remarkable displays from the year prior.

Curtis Jones is another current Reds midfielder who could depart this window, as Inter Milan constantly circle and prepare a move to land the Englishman in the near future.

As a result, a new midfielder is likely needed this summer, which has no doubt seen an increase in the intensity of the rumours coming out of Merseyside in recent weeks.

Bouaddi is one of the surprise names on their shortlist, with very few supporters knowing much about the teenager before his excellent World Cup display last week.

However, Wharton is a player the fans have often witnessed first-hand in recent seasons, with the youngster having key Premier League experience under his belt.

When comparing his stats to those of the Lille teenager from 2025/26, the Eagles star managed to dominate in numerous key areas – subsequently highlighting why he’d be a better addition this window.

Wharton, who’s been labelled “world-class” by Statman Dave, managed to create a staggering 1.6 chances per 90 in England’s top-flight during the most recent campaign.

The aforementioned figure ranks him in the top 15% of all players in Europe – not to mention also being two times higher than the tally produced by fellow target, Bouaddi.

His 61% dribble success rate in the Premier League is also higher than the figure produced by the Moroccan in Ligue 1 – reaffirming his dominance with the ball at his feet.

However, without the ball, Wharton also managed to have the upper hand over Bouaddi, subsequently making more tackles and ball recoveries per 90.

The Englishman’s tally of 10.8 defensive contributions per 90 is also over two times higher than the Lille star – which certainly makes him a better all-round option for Liverpool this summer.

£70m would be yet another statement of intent from the Reds’ hierarchy this window, but it’s a move that could secure a top-level operator at the heart of the side for many years to come.

His dominance over the World Cup star is there for all to see, with his experience in the Premier League also proving vital upon any potential transfer this summer.