If Liverpool still have an interest in signing a midfielder this summer, they would have been wise to have watched the drama unfold at Wembley Stadium on Saturday evening.

This weekend has seen the FA Cup semi-finals take centre stage, with Crystal Palace taking on Aston Villa in the first fixture ahead of Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City on Sunday.

Saturday evening saw Palace claim a 3-0 victory over Villa at Wembley to book their spot in the final for only the third time in their history.

Even though Liverpool are no longer in the FA Cup this season, it would have made sense for them to watch the fixture at Wembley.

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Ebere Eze opened the scoring for Palace before Ismaila Sarr added a brace in the second half to send the Eagles to the final, where they will face either Man City or Nottingham Forest next month.

While Eze and Sarr will make the headlines, and deservedly so, another player may have caught the eye.

Adam Wharton put in an impressive performance in the middle of the park for Palace at Wembley.

The former Blackburn Rovers star has previously been linked with Liverpool, while Manchester United and Real Madrid have also been credited as potential suitors in recent months.

If anyone from Liverpool were watching Palace beat Villa on Saturday night, it would have been impossible for them not to have noticed the performance Wharton put in at Wembley.

The 21-year-old beat the Villa press on several occasions and often won back possession for his side, notably in the build-up to Palace's second goal scored by Sarr.

It was also Wharton who played the first-time pass into Eze before the Palace star was fouled for a penalty in the second half

Whether it was dictating the play in front of the back four, navigating around opposition players in the middle of the park or pushing the Palace team forward with his passing and movement

Wharton looked like he was made to perform on the big stage.

It was last summer when Liverpool made their intentions clear that they wanted to sign a new defensive midfielder.

Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi was the target identified by the Reds, before the Spain international chose to remain with his boyhood club.

Arne Slot has instead used Ryan Gravenberch in a deeper midfield role this term alongside Alexis Mac Allister, and the pair are on the verge of helping guide Liverpool to the Premier League title.

But the question will still remain, do the Reds still want to sign a defensive midfielder?

If the answer is yes, then Wharton should be considered high on their list, if not the only name on the list
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