United “confident” of striking £70m deal for 21-yo midfield genius before Real Madrid get the chance – report

Manchester United are “confident” of agreeing a cut-price deal for Adam Wharton this summer – but there is one major obstacle to securing the Crystal Palace’s midfielder’s signature. A Cut-Price Deal The Red Devils are prioritising an overhaul of Ruben Amorim’s midfield next year with the likelihood of two new signings arriving at Old Trafford. Both Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes are the wrong side of 30, while their younger deputies – Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte – are yet to impress their head coach. United have shifted towards a policy of targeting players with proven pedigree in the Premier League after years of being burned by big-money signings arriving from Europe, but failing to adapt to the rigours of English football. As such, the club’s primary targets in midfield are Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Carlos Baleba (Brighton & Hove Albion) – who United made an approach for last summer – and Wharton. Anderson is believed to be the first-choice option. But the England international is also high on the wish lists for Manchester City and Liverpool, and Forest likely to demand a fee in excess of £80m for the 23-year-old. Similarly, Brighton were unwilling to negotiate for Baleba in the summer after United made enquiries, with a sense that it would have taken a figure comparable to the one Chelsea paid for Moises Caicedo – £115m – to unlock a deal. Baleba’s form has torpedoed this season, with Seagulls manager Fabian Hurzeler admitting the transfer speculation has affected the 21-year-old Cameroon international. But Brighton will remain steadfast in valuation to uphold their reputation as the Premier League’s toughest negotiators. Which brings us to Wharton, who has been superb for Palace since arriving from Blackburn Rovers in January 2024. The 21-year-old England international possesses a wand of a left foot and is the best playmaker from deep of the three options. His statistics do not jump off the page, but it’s his control and tempo-setting abilities – hidden on a spreadsheet but essential on a pitch – which are his biggest strengths. Adam Wharton 25/26 season Crystal Palace stats PlayerAppearancesGoalsAssistsMinutes played Adam Wharton17021,249 He has been linked with moves to all of England’s biggest clubs, as well as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the past twelve months – a testament to just how highly rated he is across Europe. Palace were believed to be asking for ‘Declan Rice’ type money for Wharton, with a fee in the region of £100m mooted. But, according to The Mirror, United are now “confident” of striking a £70m agreement with the Eagles for their midfield maestro – a dramatic reduction in price, and one which may push Wharton to the top of United’s list. One Major Hurdle The report states, “United have made [Wharton] one of their main transfer targets next summer” with Amorim a huge fan of the Englishman. “Amorim believes the midfielder’s quality on the ball makes him an ideal fit for the team he wants to build at Old Trafford. And United are confident of landing Wharton next summer in a £70million deal.” The 21-year-old “favours a return to the north west” – his hometown and boyhood club, Blackburn, is just 50 miles from Manchester – but there is one hurdle United will have to jump to secure his signature: qualifying for Europe. “[Wharton] will not leave Palace to join a club that cannot offer him European football. The 21-year-old believes he is ready to take that next step to a bigger club, which involves performing on the biggest stage on a regular basis.” The Palace talisman will “snub a move” to Old Trafford should the Red Devils fail to deliver European football next year. And with the inconsistent nature of United’s performances at present, this is far from a certainty come the end of the season. Featured image Matt McNulty via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Darragh Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.