Houghton, who once operated in Anfield and Selhurst Park engine rooms, can see why the all-action midfielder would be welcomed to Merseyside with open arms. Asked about a future move, a man that won two First Division titles with the Reds – who was speaking exclusively to GOAL courtesy of Football Betting that has all bases covered in 2026-27 – said: “I listen to people who I’ve played with and who’ve got a good eye for midfielders. I know Jan Molby, he’s a big fan of Adam. He spoke about him highly on numerous occasions and I trust Jan’s judgment. He knows the game, he knows the position. He feels that there’s a real player in there that can do well.
“I spoke to Adam, actually, when they [Palace] beat Liverpool last season. I was at the game and after the match I was talking to Mark Bright and Adam came out. He’s a really down-to-earth lad, really, really lovely kid. It was a joy to speak to him and just listen to him and he just wants to be the best that he can.
“He’s got a great attitude. If anyone was to ask me, what do you think of Adam Wharton, I’d say great attitude. He wants to be successful. He’s got all the ingredients there for being a top player.
“At the minute, the only worry with Palace is they can’t keep selling players. [Marc] Guehi went and now [Maxence] Lacroix’s gone and they’re moving players around. To have any modicum of success, you can’t keep doing that. You look at what they’ve won, three trophies they’ve been involved in. One thing you don’t want to do is keep changing players.
“If a club like Liverpool comes knocking for you, you’re going to be tempted, aren’t you? Simple as that if you’re Adam Wharton. It’s just whether he’s the right fit for the manager and that’s what it’ll come down to. At the moment, I still think Liverpool need a few additions before they really get going.”