Manchester United’s current midfield lacks balance, which is why Ruben Amorim had asked INEOS to try and sign a midfielder in the summer.
However, a move for Carlos Baleba was not possible due to Brighton’s valuation. The Red Devils are expected to revisit their interest in the Cameroonian in January, but he will likely cost £100 million.
Such a splurge might not be possible given the extensive summer outlay, and a more cost-effective option will likely be targeted.
Recent reports have suggested that United could opt to bid £60 million for Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, who has proven to be a revelation for the Eagles.
Adam Wharton remains a United target
Not only can be shield the backline effectively, his eye for a pass can help the 20-time English league champions progress play from deep.
However, as revealed by Alan Nixon on his Patreon, Palace will not allow the Englishman to leave for the aforementioned fee and will look to keep him onboard for a while longer.
The Selhurst Park outfit have offered him a new long-term deal, despite the midfielder’s current terms being valid until 2029.
Before agreeing to sign the contract, the England international wants the contract to include a release clause which can be triggered by the top clubs.
Release clause to be added
A fee of £70-£75 million is reportedly seen as acceptable to both parties and Palace remain confident that the player will sign on the dotted lines soon. A similar ploy was used by them before they sold Eberechi Eze in the summer.
This effectively means INEOS will either have to up their offer or wait until the new contract is signed to pay the release clause to get their man.
It will not be straightforward for the Old Trafford side as lots of clubs are eyeing Adam Wharton, including Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
He has been compared to former United midfield great Michael Carrick by club legend Rio Ferdinand. And the comparisons certainly make a lot of sense when one sees how Wharton conducts the orchestra from the base of the Palace midfield.
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
Ayantan Chowdhury
After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
