While a deal looks nigh on impossible from Crystal Palace’s point of view this summer, Adam Wharton has become a firm target for Manchester United.
In fact, the Red Devils’ interest in Wharton follows their unsuccessful bid for Carlos Baleba of Brighton & Hove Albion.
In their brief discussions, Brighton made it obvious to United that any possible transfer would cost them more than £100 million, even though Baleba had secretly approved a move to Old Trafford this summer. INEOS decided to give up after approving the entry of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko, and Matheus Cunha. At least for now.
United drop Baleba pursuit to target Wharton
Since then, United has been considering other options to join Ruben Amorim’s team, and Wharton fits the description of a Premier League-proven player the board has been pursuing this year.
But Palace has now effectively made their midfield star unavailable. Following Oliver Glasner’s confirmation that Eberechi Eze had played his final game for the team before an imminent transfer to Arsenal, the Eagles are unwilling to lose another of their important talismans.
Marc Guehi, who is still strongly associated with Liverpool, may also decide to switch before the deadline.
Wharton poised to stay put at Palace this summer
According to transfer reporter Pete O’Rourke, 21-year-old Wharton, who Micah Richards has praised as a “exceptional” midfielder, is happy to remain at Selhurst Park for the foreseeable future.
He told Football Insider on Friday afternoon: “It doesn’t surprise me that Manchester United are interested in Wharton.
“He’s on the list of a number of top clubs because he’s a top operator, and has proved that at Palace and broke into the England squad as well. It’d take a huge fee for them to even consider letting him go.
“They’re losing other players, Palace, so letting Adam Wharton go wouldn’t go down too well with Oliver Glasner.”
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