Crystal Palace 'doing everything' to keep Adam Wharton after Liverpool reveal

Crystal Palace are determined to keep hold of Adam Wharton beyond the summer transfer window amid suggestions he could push to leave.

Reports have suggested the 22-year-old is keen to make the step up to a Champions League club amid interest from the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid.

However, he remains a big part of the Eagles' long-term plans and they are reluctant to lose more key players after Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi's exits.

Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Palace are "doing everything" to keep Wharton as the centrepiece of their ambitions.

The England international is attracting high-profile interest from across Europe, and should he be allowed to leave Selhurst Park, they will demand a massive fee.

How could Crystal Palace keep hold of Adam Wharton?

Brown told Football Insider on 3 April that Crystal Palace plan to keep their best players and believe winning the Conference League could allow them to do so.

Success in the European competition would see them qualify for the Europa League, giving them more pull both in keeping their players and building around them.

This comes as a number of first-team stars at Palace are attracting interest, including Maxence Lacroix, but Wharton is the most sought-after as things stand.

"Crystal Palace will be doing everything in their power to keep Wharton," Brown told Football Insider.

"Just like all of their best players, they have to be making substancial efforts to keep them around, because otherwise they will be weakened massively.

"I've been saying it since they won the FA Cup, and since then they've lost Guehi and Eze, so they really can't afford to keep losing players.

"There has been some talk that he wants to go and play in the Champions League, which I imagine is being led by his agent, and that's a shame.

"But by all accounts, Crystal Palace would be very reluctant to lose him and they're determined to keep him around, unless of course a massive offer comes in."

Could Liverpool step up their interest in Wharton?

Amid a number of clubs being linked with a move for Wharton, Liverpool stand out as the leading candidates as things stand, with rivals looking elsewhere.

Brown told Football Insider on 31 March that Liverpool will step up their interest in Wharton if they are given any indication he could leave Selhurst Park.

The emerging whispers that he could be tempted to move on in search of Champions League football have put the Reds on alert, as they aim for qualification.

There is also a feeling that he would benefit from being allowed to step up to a more dominant side where he could show his best attributes more regularly.

Wharton's best attributes benefit the side in position, with question marks about his defensive work, and he is seen as a good fit for Arne Slot's system.