David Tully Sep 25th 2025
Man United are weighing up whether to make an offer for Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, according to reports.
TEAMtalk claim that Ruben Amorim’s side are “contemplating a January bid” for the England international.
The Red Devils have struggled in the middle of the park at the start of this season, and strengthening that area of the pitch is regarded as a priority.
Both Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher have been linked with potential transfers to Old Trafford.
However, Wharton is also deemed a top option, having impressed observers with his performances in the Premier League over the past couple of years.
Palace are determined to keep hold of Wharton
TEAMtalk report that United are aware that they may face a challenge getting Wharton out of Selhurst Park midway through the season.
The Eagles are keen to keep their current team mostly intact after a strong start to the campaign, but they already anticipate the loss of captain Marc Guehi. The defender saw a move to Liverpool collapse on Deadline Day earlier this month, but the Reds are likely to return with another offer in the New Year, and his team are unlikely to turn down a bid, especially as he will be able to move on a free when his contract expires next summer.
United may still table a proposal for Wharton in January, even though the chances of it being accepted are low, but they could use it as a platform to sign him at the end of the season instead. Other teams, including Chelsea and Tottenham, are also reportedly interested in the player so getting a head start in negotiations could prove beneficial in the long term.
The Man United target has plenty of admirers
Speaking before Manchester City played Palace in a league game back in April, manager Pep Guardiola said Wharton is a player he rates very highly:
“An excellent holding midfielder. He was in the national team already. The impact has been really good, coming from the Championship to the Premier League, brilliant left foot, a really good player.”
Read more about the Manchester United First Team Squad for 2025/26 here
David Tully
David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for National World’s Football News Network.