Liverpool transfer news: Andoni Iraola told to make £130m decision amid Adam Wharton warning

Liverpool already have enough Adam Whartons, but they are lacking an Elliot Anderson and must hijack Manchester City's move for the Nottingham Forest man, a former Reds midfielder has exclusively told Sports Mole.

New Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola is expected to bring in a big-money midfielder during the summer transfer window, as Curtis Jones could leave amid links with Inter Milan, while Alexis Mac Allister experienced a dramatic downturn in form last season.

England international Anderson has inevitably been linked with a switch to Anfield, but the Reds are yet to firm up their interest in the Nottingham Forest man, which is less than can be said for their rivals.

Man City have had two bids rejected for Anderson already, including one worth up to a staggering £120m, as Nottingham Forest are believed to be holding out for a British record £130m to let the midfielder depart.

Such a fee would surpass the £125m that Liverpool paid for Alexander Isak last summer, and erstwhile Reds man Don Hutchinson has implored the Reds to smash their own transfer high to pip Man City to the post.

Liverpool urged to hijack Man City's £130m Elliot Anderson move

"Elliot Anderson is the type of player that Liverpool need," Hutchinson said. "The Reds need legs in the midfield. Even though Adam Wharton is a fantastic footballer, Liverpool already have plenty of those.

"Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai – they’ve got talent in abundance. Liverpool missed out on Moises Caicedo a few years back, and they need that profile of player now – muscle in midfield and legs to get around the pitch.

"Unfortunately for Liverpool, I expect Anderson to go to Manchester City but if I was Liverpool, I’d break the bank."

Liverpool agreed to sign Caicedo in an £111m deal from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2023, but the Ecuador international turned his nose up to a move to the Reds in favour of joining Chelsea, who subsequently struck a £115m agreement with the Seagulls.

Also losing out to Real Madrid for Jude Bellingham, Liverpool instead brought in Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo, but the latter is also due to become a free agent in 2027.

How Elliot Anderson compares to Adam Wharton amid Liverpool transfer talk

While Anderson did not miss a single Premier League match for Nottingham Forest last season, Wharton did sit out four top-flight contests for Crystal Palace, playing just under 800 fewer minutes than his compatriot.

The ex-Blackburn Rovers phenom still managed one more assist than Anderson - five to four - but the latter found the back of the net four times compared to Wharton's solitary strike in the top flight.

Anderson's conversion rate of 9.1 also trumped Wharton's 3.13, and the Forest fulcrum also completed over 1,000 more passes than Wharton, with a superior accuracy too - 85.4% to 79.2%.

Furthermore, Anderson won more than double the fouls Wharton did - 80 to 31 - and also ranked higher for aerial and ground duel success rate, as well as successful take-ons.

The numbers make it easy to see why Man City are prepared to pay an unprecedented amount for Anderson, and the onus is now on Iraola to convince the Liverpool hierarchy to do the same.

Don Hutchinson was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of Spreadex Sports.