One teenage prodigy who’s recently been linked with a possible move to Liverpool has emphatically dismissed queries regarding the presence of a release clause in his contract.
Not long after reports from 90min that the Reds are among several Premier League clubs eyeing a potential swoop for Adam Wharton, the 19-year-old committed his future to Blackburn Rovers by signing a five-year deal in recent days.
That hasn’t stopped some of their fans from speculating whether or not the agreement includes a release clause, but the midfielder isn’t ‘aware of’ any such stipulation in the newly-penned contract.
Wharton told The Lancashire Telegraph: “I am not a lawyer, I haven’t seen the ins and outs of the contract but I don’t think [there’s a release clause].”
Regarding the recent transfer speculation surrounding him, the 19-year-old said: “I think it’s something that comes part and parcel with being a footballer. Loads of players have to deal with that.
“I don’t tend to read much into that, a lot of the stuff you see online, you don’t even know if it’s true. Most of the time, I find out on Twitter myself like everyone else.
“I am not too interested in it. I get on with my game, I am a Blackburn Rovers player and that’s what I am concentrated on. Speculation will come and go; whatever happens, happens. It won’t affect my game.”
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Whether or not Wharton’s new contract contains a release clause that Liverpool could seek to exploit remains unclear, but what’s far easier to determine is that the midfielder can realistically be ruled out as a transfer target for the foreseeable future after penning new terms at Ewood Park.
While it certainly doesn’t guarantee that he’ll remain a Blackburn player until 2028, it’s a statement of his intentions to remain committed to the Championship side for the time being. With Rovers just two points off the play-off positions, promotion to the Premier League is a genuine target for them this season.
The 19-year-old is likely to be crucial to their hopes of ending their 12-year top-flight exile, with his manager Jon Dahl Tomasson previously stating that the youngster has ‘a big future‘ ahead of him, adding that he’s a ‘Champions League level‘ player in how he uses the ball.
Wharton clearly has no intention of walking out on his current club any time soon, so if Liverpool are continuing to seek defensive midfield additions in 2024, they’ll need to divert their focus elsewhere.
However, that isn’t to say that they can’t try their luck for him again further down the line if he continues to thrive at Blackburn.